Living Legacy
by Auburn Divinity
Summary: Working as agents for the Preventers suspicious activities bring Wufei, Duo and Trowa back into space where Lady Une gives them their task but fails to supply them with all the information she has.
1. Chapter 1

Living Legacy  
  
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Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this chapter, this being the first installment of a fanfiction created for entertainment only. To all the readers enjoy.  
  
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"Approximate time 'til departure five minutes," the animated pilot gingerly informed his companions. "Initiating launch sequence: thrust, trajectory, air pressure, fuel…" He energetically flipped the corresponding switches while listing the final preparations for launch.  
  
One of his associates mumbled, "Annoying pilot," adding this item to the unwritten checklist.  
  
"Final clearance--Approved. Let's get this thing moving." He flipped a few more switches and the transport shuttle left the space colony. After leaving the colony's gravitational pull he turned to his comrades and added, "Another perfect takeoff." He laced his fingers and stretched his arms, turning the palms of his hands out.  
  
"Any idiot could handle that," his irritated companion replied. "It doesn't take a genius to launch a shuttle."  
  
"I can't believe I left the salvage yard for this! There are so many other things I would rather be doing."  
  
"Do you ever shut your mouth?"  
  
"Do you ever call me for anything other than help on a mission?"  
  
Their silent friend smirked as he watched them bicker with the one eye that remained uncovered by the thick bangs hanging over the side of his face. Not much had changed; whenever those two were in the same room they always argued. He waited until the argument had escalated to threats of bodily harm before interrupting, "What exactly is the mission?"  
  
"The Preventers bureau only has preliminary information."  
  
"That means he doesn't know," the braided pilot offered his translation for the previous statement.  
  
"What information is there?"  
  
Let the truth be told; the Preventers knew next to nothing but Wufei provided his companions with the information he had been told, "Several months ago someone informed the bureau of peculiar activities in the L1 colony region. A small-unnamed organization has been stockpiling weapons and causing minor disturbances among the people."  
  
"What type of weapons?"  
  
"Long range riffles, hand guns—nothing big."  
  
"And their purpose?" Trowa continued his questioning with a flat indifferent tone.  
  
"There are several theories, but nothing is known for sure." Wufei again could only supply what little he knew.  
  
"What about the people in this organization?"  
  
"The Preventers have apprehended a few members. Mostly assassins and snipers. Nothing is known about the leaders or the people who fund it."  
  
Duo, bored with where the conversation was going exclaimed, "Then why do you need us!?"  
  
Wufei glared at the cause of this interruption; "I don't need you."  
  
"Duo is right, what are we supposed to do?" Trowa didn't like the idea but he had to agree with Maxwell, "It doesn't sound like a big threat."  
  
"Lady Une has her concerns. I wouldn't have contacted you if she hadn't been so adamant about it."  
  
Skeptically Duo asked, "Who gave the Preventers this information and can you trust the informant?"  
  
"The information was sent to the Preventers data base, the files were untraceable."  
  
"How did this person get the information?" asked Trowa.  
  
"An inside job?" Duo guessed, "A mole?"  
  
"The person calls himself mouse," Wufei told his two companions.  
  
The three former gundam pilots thought in silence, not knowing what was expected of them when they would reach the L1 colonies.  
  
It might not have been necessary to call on the gundam pilots for help, but Lady Une choose to err on the side of caution. The gundam pilots power lie in fighting but their skills extended beyond brute strength. In many past endeavors the skills of the young men had been called upon. Once again they put aside their personal lives to help maintain peace; Duo maybe put aside other tasks too willingly.  
  
In human nature it is only natural to fear what one doesn't know and the Preventers knew little about the new threat. Growing alarm welled in the world leaders minds; what were these people capable of? Exactly what were their priorities? Did this new organization hold any real threat to peace? They were fighting an unseen enemy, whose powers had yet to be tested. The danger developed in this element of ignorance. If indeed this group was small it needed to be stopped soon before it grew.  
  
Lady Une and Noin met them as they docked the shuttle; the men then began to see how big a threat it might be. Through the years after the Mariemeia incident Une had developed an instinct about what threats were to be taken seriously. If both women thought it necessary to journey to the space colonies there was sufficient evidence to be concerned. They all traveled to the temporary Preventers base together.  
  
The messages from their correspondent steady in the first few months now came in sporadic intervals. Afraid of loosing their lead, the two women had traveled to the colony in hopes of finding more information or their informant. Since they had arrived the messages became even more infrequent, and the activities of the group had quelled. Successes were few but they had found some information.  
  
Noin lead the party to the offices that they had secured for the purpose of their business. An entire floor of the building had been reserved for the Preventers: a small lobby with sofas, three once clean offices equipped with computers and countless piles of papers, a large conference room, a little kitchen and makeshift bunk rooms. They entered the conference room and Lady Une closed the door behind them; she addressed Duo and Trowa, "I'm sorry that I had to call you here, but I believe there is a real threat to the peace of the Earth and colonies."  
  
"No problem," Duo piped up.  
  
Trowa asked, "What can we do?"  
  
"We need to find this organization before it disappears and comes up somewhere else." As Lady Une finished her statement the door opened and a tall platinum blond man poked his head through.  
  
Duo looked surprised, "Hey, Zechs whatcha doin' here?"  
  
Merquise eyed the self-proclaimed shingami and turned to the head of the Preventers; he handed her a paper and waited for a reaction.  
  
"Still not enough to go on," she glanced to the floor shaking her head. "You boys can rest. We will continue tomorrow."  
  
Disappointed she led the three to the bunks; they took the room gratefully, dropping their heavy sacks on the floor. The room was small but the beds were comfortable and they had privacy.  
  
Maxwell plopped onto one of the beds, "Not bad, but we still don't know any more than this afternoon."  
  
Wufei kicked Duo's duffel out of his way and sat on another bed, "Be quiet Maxwell."  
  
"She knows more than she's telling," Trowa stated.  
  
"Lady Une always does," Wufei added.  
  
Duo lay down with his arms under his head and said, "It doesn't matter anyway. She doesn't have the information she wants. Night." He closed his eyes and ignored anything else that might have happened.  
  
The other two stared at him and decided to follow suit. They quickly fell asleep and quit thinking about what lay ahead.  
  
In the morning the three boys ate in the little kitchen. Trowa and Duo sat at the small round table and watched Wufei rummage through the fridge and cupboards.  
  
"Is there anything besides junk food here." Wufei pulled his head out of the fridge and slammed the door.  
  
Duo finished the last bite of his donut, licked the glaze off his fingers and poured a big cup of coffee, "Here buddy you need this." He handed Chang the cup and added, "Did you know you snore?"  
  
Wufei took a couple sips of the potent drink put the cup down looked at the others picked it up again took a few large gulps and said, "I do not."  
  
"You do." Duo turned to Trowa, "He snores doesn't he? And real loud too."  
  
Trowa threw up his hands in a mock surrender; he knew better than to get into this conversation.  
  
Noin walked through the door dragging her feet, she barely noticed the boys; she yawned and poured herself a cup, she took her first sip and shook her head. "Hi guys, who made the coffee?" she asked taking another sip.  
  
"Maxwell!" both Trowa and Wufei explained.  
  
Lady Une entered the room followed by Merquise, making the small space rather crowded. Zechs stood next to Noin and slipped his arm around her waist. She handed him her cup, he took a sip, made a face, and finished it off. Lady Une explained further what she needed to be done, she showed the boys to the offices and left them to their own devices.  
  
They went though the papers diligently, trying to find out what was known and go from there. Twice during the day they left to explore the colony and escape the seemingly impossible task of finding this mysterious organization. Exhausted they retreated to their bunk and left it for the next morning. The next day followed in the same manner with the exception of Duo making the coffee.  
  
Chang, Barton and Maxwell looked through the office door on the morning of the third day; the computers and papers had waited patiently throughout the night for them. Duo groaned and took a seat at one of the computers. Trowa and Wufei also choose to use this method of searching instead of the mounds of files and papers. The tapping of the keys and frustrated grunts were the only noises; for once it seemed that Maxwell would be quite.  
  
Trowa was the first to speak, "I found something."  
  
"What!?" Duo and Wufei exclaimed.  
  
Trowa silently brought his discovery to Lady Une; she pulled some papers out of a folder and pieced together the findings from the past weeks with Trowa's new information A small smile played across her face and then quickly vanished. Shingami and the solitary dragon watched in amazement, wondering how the clown could find something so fast and trying to figure out what it was. Lady Une brought the evidence to Zechs and Noin; they looked over it and came to the same conclusion.  
  
"It looks like we've found the source of the organizations orders," the Lady announced in a flat voice, inwardly proud because this new information may lead to an end. "Duo, Trowa, Wufei, we need you to cheek it out." She handed the papers to Wufei and added, "Be extremely cautious, this may be the base of their operations."  
  
Duo tried to read the paper over Wufei's shoulder as the dark-eyed man said, "We will take all necessary precautions."  
  
"Piece of cake," Duo beamed.  
  
  
  
* This ends the first portion of my little story. If you liked it I'd love to hear from you, if you hated it I'd like to know too, and if you could care less I'm sorry but I don't know what to do for you. 


	2. Chapter 2

Disclaimer: Again I regret to say I do not own any of the characters from Gundam Wing, but they are so interesting that I chose to borrow them, their personalities, and their world for the purpose of this fiction.

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Living Legacy  
Chapter Two  
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Three young men ran down the halls, narrowly escaping the enraged guards; they ducked around a corner and hid in a small recess.

"I thought you said this would be a piece of cake Maxwell." Wufei glowered at him as they cautiously continued walking down the hall.

"Hey, I wasn't the one that started yelling at them."

Their first attempt at getting in wasn't the success they had hoped for. The secretary at the front desk had said something that made Wufei mad, he started yelling at her, she called security and he shouted at them as well. They had shoved past the guards and now found themselves wondering through the halls trying to find what they had been sent there for.

Trowa grabbed the doorknob to one of the many rooms. "This is the one," he stated bluntly.

Only the name distinguished this door from the others; written in small gold letters was the same name that they had found that morning. 

Inside the person sitting at the computer jumped slightly at the sound of someone turning the doorknob. She typed in a few commands and leapt to her feet, ready to fend off whoever it might be. The door flew open; three men looked at her, only one looked surprised. Trowa, the first to recover, stepped into the room trying to get near the girl. The other two boys came into the room, shutting the door behind them. She took advantage of their initial shock and jumped up into the air ducts, Trowa at her heels.

"Great! What was that?" Duo blurted out as he pushed a chair up against the door.

Wufei examined the computer and quickly found what she had been doing there, "We have to go after her."

"What, you think that she might be the big bad leader of this infamous group or do you just like to crawl through ducts."

Wufei glared at Duo, "Like I want to follow your butt though the ducts."

"The guards are coming," Trowa announced still standing under the hole she disappeared through, "and we do need to find her. She may be the only way out of here, now."

Duo and Wufei exchanged evil looks as the sound of the guards trying to bust down the door filled their ears.

A head and shoulders popped through the opening in the ceiling, brown hair hung from the upside-down head, all three turned to face it; Barton looking straight up.

"Hey handsome, can I have my shoe back?" She held out her hand and waited.

Trowa held up the mentioned object, he had grabbed at her when she jumped but her shoe was all he had obtained; she took it and started to pull herself back in.

"Who are you?" Wufei questioned with a hash voice.

Duo just looked dumbfounded, jaw gaping. 

She looked at each of them in turn and said "You better hurry, it won't take them long to knock down the door." With that she vanished from sight as quickly as she had appeared.

Without waiting for his two companions to comment on what had happened Trowa leaped up and pulled himself into the air ducts; Wufei copied his actions and then Duo. The girl was gone but Barton saw some movement and followed it. On hands and knees the three pilots followed the quick movements of the girl, sometimes just barely catching sight of the black figure as she turned. 

They made it out of the labyrinth of crawl space, jumping from the small opening to the ground. Quickly Wufei surveyed the area for sight of the girl, he saw her turn around a corner. Duo turned on the comm. link and tried to contact Lady Une.

"Yes, Duo, what is happening?" Lady Une's voice came in clear over their connection.

"We ran into some unexpected difficulties," he answered as they pursued the girl.

"Where are you?" she asked in a calm tone, begging for him to be direct.

"We found the office, but he wasn't there," Duo started his explanation. "There was a girl in the room, we are following her now." He continued giving her street names and a brief description of where they were. 

"Duo, you or Trowa continue following her. Be careful and don't let her escape, we may need her assistance. I'm sending Wind he might be able to help you persuade her," she cut of the communication, then came back, "Send Wufei back; only one of you needs to be there. We don't want to frighten her."

"Roger," Duo put the device away and related Lady Une's message to the others.

Wufei grumbled something the others couldn't understand and Duo agreed that Trowa could return with Wufei while he continued tracking the girl.

When they arrived back at the base Wufei briefed Lady Une on what had happened. 

Une held out a paper; "This was received while you were out."

Wufei read it and handed it to Trowa, "So I was right she is mouse."

"Yes, I too believe she is the one who sent the messages," Une agreed with his assumption. "That's why I sent Zechs to help Duo."

Lady Une hid the look of knowledge that threatened to show in her face, she knew for a fact that this girl was indeed the one they called mouse, the same person who had sent all the previous messages. 

They sat and waited for Maxwell and Merquise to return. A half-hour passed then an hour and then another hour. Noin started to pace. Wufei became cross; he started thinking that maybe he should have never let Duo go after a girl. Lady Une sat in her office reading through the papers containing what they had found so far; she drummed her fingers on the desk and began to worry that they might lose this lead again. They had almost found the girl once before but she evaded them.

A determined voice could be heard from the hallway leading to the lobby. The voice was feminine and no other voices could be heard; she was loud and demanding but not screaming.

Duo opened the door and everyone in the room stood up. He walked in slowly, trying to hide a limp, the right side of his face was red and throbbing but a grin still adorned his countenance. Zechs stepped in behind with him the offender in tow, both with dirt stains on their clothes. Her hands were cuffed in front of her and he was pulling her by the forearm. She firmly stated, "Let me go," one last time and kicked the man in the leg; he grimaced and did as she ordered. 

Lady Une came out of her office and analyzed the scene before her, "Please remove the handcuffs."

Preventer Wind did as he was asked, approaching the girl carefully and giving Lady Une a wary look.

"Are you the one who sent the information?" Une looked the younger lady squarely in the eye.

She looked back with an emotionless glare and answered "Yes."

"What is your name?"

The young woman didn't answer. Everyone present stared at the two women. The girl fixed her brown eyes on the head of the Preventers. She stood with her back straight her arms at her side, like a soldier stands at attention. Wufei walked to her side; "She asked you a question."

The girl being questioned passed a side-glance at him without moving her head. "Mouse," she said in the same immovable tone as before.

"Talkative isn't she," Duo muttered under his breath to no one in particular.

"Who is the leader?" Une continued with her questioning.

Mouse didn't answer, both women knew the other had the answer to that question. Une had known for weeks; what they both wanted was the knowledge of where to find him. They glared at each other as everyone continued to watch. With the thumb of her right hand Mouse made a small circular motion rubbing the tips of her first two fingers. The action was slight and went unnoticed.

Une glanced at the crowd of people in the room, they looked like tigers ready to pounce on their pray. "Come into my office." She turned her back to the group and walked though the door.

Mouse followed, walking past the Lady farther into the next room. They heard Une say "Sit down," then she shut the door.

"Good job Maxwell," Wufei spat at Duo. "You were supposed to bring her back unharmed."

"She's not hurt."

"Hey guys, stop it," Noin tried to make peace between them. "What exactly happened anyway?"

Duo turned to her and grinned, he ran his fingers through his brown main from his forehead to where his braid started, he left his hand there and said, "I guess I startled her."

Zechs looked at him and lifted an eyebrow, "She knew you were there."

"That girl did that?" Trowa asked as he pointed to the door of Lady Une's office then at Duo's face.

"Yes," the braided man turned his face from everyone and spoke in a low voice. 

"Maxwell was defeated by a mouse," Wufei said with an amused air, taking the rare moment to get in a low blow.

"She's a ferocious rodent," Zechs added.

Noin smiled, "So, what happened?"

The former god of death diverted his gaze, avoiding eye contact.

Noin turned to Zechs; he smiled and supplied the information she wanted, "We followed her for some time then Duo approached her from behind, he grabbed her shoulder to stop her. She turned around and punched him."

"It was a lucky punch," Duo blurted out in defense. "She probably couldn't do it again." 

"Go on," Wufei said, urging Zechs to complete his tale.

"She kicked his legs out from under him and ran off." 

"She caught me off guard," Duo interrupted again. 

"What did you do?" Noin turned and asked the blond.

"He tackled her," Duo answered.

Noin looked shocked, "Zechs!"

"You tackled a girl?" Wufei asked.

Even Trowa was shocked, though it didn't show; Merquise usually treated all women with great respect.

"I only caught her around the waist, I didn't knock her down," Zechs responded, shying away from Preventer Fire.

"She slipped from his grasp though and he had to handcuff her to keep her from getting away." Duo finished telling what happened and added, "How's your leg?"

Merquise glanced at the ceiling.

Noin glared at him, her arms folded across her chest as she asked, "What about your leg?" 

"She kicked his legs every time someone wasn't looking." Duo answered then remembering the car ride back to the base said, "She never screamed, she only tried to pull away, and demanded that Zechs let her go."

Preventer Wind left the room and returned to his bunk. Noin followed and sat on the bed next to him. Zechs examined his leg; bruises were already starting to form. At one point along the trip he had switched the side he was dragging her along and that leg too had rather large bruises. Noin left and returned shortly with some ice.

Meanwhile in the lobby the boys sat in silence; Mouse and Lady Une were still in the office. Voices could be heard coming from the room. Wufei and Duo inched closer to the door so they could listen in on what was said. Trowa was still sitting on the couch, silently watching. The two voices continued; it was hard to separate one from the other and the words weren't clear. One voice became louder; the other answered in the same tone as before. Lady Une's voice was clearly heard. Une, who had become an extremely calm woman, was practically yelling, but neither man could understand what she said. The voices ceased to make noise and the boys returned to their previous positions. 

Lady Une opened the door and Mouse came out wearing the same emotionless expression as before. Whatever was said behind the closed door seemed to have no effect on her.

The head of the Preventers said, "Seventeen hundred hours, and please come back on your own. You need protection"

Mouse headed toward the door without responding. Duo grabbed her arm and turned her to face him, "So you're Mouse."

"Squeak, squeak," she dryly said, glaring at him. 

"You should listen to the Lady," Duo said, he wondered how her brown eyes could look so cold, "your life is in danger."

"I can take care of myself," Mouse made a noise somewhere between a snort and a laugh. "He won't kill me." She tilted her head and smirked, "You should put ice on that." She gently brushed the side of his face with the tips of her fingernails.

"I'm serious," he said as he noticed the chipping silver polish on her nails.

"Me too." She pulled her arm free and left.

"Someone needs to follow her," Lady Une ordered then returned to her office. 

Wufei turned to Duo and said, "Maxwell why don't you go since you seem so concerned about her."

"No way--it's someone else's turn." He walked to the kitchen to get some ice to put on his face.

Trowa walked past Chang to the door, he called over his shoulder, "I'll do it." 

He left the building and rapidly spotted her a couple yards off; her pace was quick but easy to follow. He followed her for several city blocks; she didn't seem to notice him. Mouse stopped at a public phone; she leaned against the wall, looked around and began to talk.

Trowa heard her say, "I didn't get it," she looked a little disappointed, "I was interrupted," she listened to the other end for a while. 

"What did you do--call them and ask?" she laughed and added, "That's it you're just real good at guessing games." 

When she glanced in Trowa's general direction saying, "Yes," he figured she was talking about him. 

"I'm not going," Mouse answered the other end defiantly and listened to the response. "NO!" she paused, "I wo..." she didn't finish her word. "But..." again the person cut her words off. 

She stuck her tongue out at the phone knowing the person on the other end couldn't see her. Mouse sighed and said "An hour, same place as usual, Bye." She hung up and started to walk away; she passed just inches from Trowa's hiding spot. 

Barton stepped into the kitchen where Maxwell and Chang were eating and arguing, Duo still holding an ice pack to his face. Nearly an hour had passed since he left; he poured himself a cold drink and sat down.

"Where's the girl?" 

"I lost her," Trowa answered Wufei's question.

Duo laughed. "So she's a ferocious rodent who lives up to her name," he used Zechs description of the brunette.

"She'll come back," Trowa said, hoping that he had translated what he heard of the phone conversation correctly

The allotted time for Mouse to return passed. Only Wufei and Noin seemed to be anxious about it. The young woman walked through the door; she carried a large duffel bag hanging at her hip with the strap crossing over her chest and a small backpack clutched in her arms. Her eyes still held a defiant look but she had changed the solid black outfit for one with a more feminine style. 

Lady Une came out of her office, "Glad to see you back." 

She turned and called to the three boys; they all followed her to the car waiting in the street below. They drove in silence to the shuttle docks, everyone but Trowa wondering why Mouse came back. Lady Une watched them board a commercial flight to Earth. No one questioned what was happening.

Mouse, still clutching the small cream-colored crocheted bag, her legs crossed at the ankles and tucked under her seat, continued to stare through the window. 

Trowa, sitting in the seat facing her, watched her reflection in the glass, the view from the colony on the other side of the window marring her features. Her eyes had lost their brave appearance. He looked at the bag in her lap, the corners of whatever was inside were slightly visible and different colors could be seen through the holes. He thought about the phone call and asked her, "Do you have a family on the colony?"

She looked at him then back out the window. "I did," Mouse turned to face him after a short pause; "Do you have any family?"

He studied her appearance for a while and Duo answered the question, "He has a sister."

Mouse smiled. "You must love her very much. I can tell."

Trowa told her, "Only a person who loves someone else can see that in others."

The smile vanished and Mouse turned her head to look out the window again, "Loved--past tense."

*Well, now isn't that an interesting turn of events. As always I'd like to hear what you think.


	3. Chapter 3

Author's note: All standard disclaimers apply, have fun readin'.

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Living Legacy  
Chapter Three  
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The blond man sat in the garden of his estate, enjoying a sweet moment of solitude; he watched the golden hair of the girl sparkle in the sunlight, it swayed in the breeze as she walked toward him.

"Good morning Miss Darlian," an inviting smile adorned his face and he said morning even though the hour was near noon.

"I'm just Relena today." She smiled back and added, "I'm still on holiday, remember."

"One week left. What are you going to do with all that free time?" 

"A week and a half," she corrected him, "but I don't want to think about that now. It might end sooner if I think about it too much."

Another person approached the two young people, his large form casting an even larger shadow. The blond man sighed, he had hoped for a few more minutes out there.

"Master, there is a call for you."

"Can it wait?" he answered in a gentle tone that didn't betray his longing to stay.

"No, it's Lady Une. She says it is urgent."

"Okay." He turned to the woman. "I'm sorry Relena."

She beamed her elegant diplomatic smile. "I know--it's all right." 

He followed the larger man into the house and back to one of the studies. The young blond thanked the man and sat in front of the vid-phone. 

Lady Une's face appeared on the screen. "Hello Mister Winner." 

"What can I do to help?" he offered, wasting no time on formalities. 

Quatre knew of the Preventers predicament; he knew Trowa, Wufei, and Duo had traveled to the L1 colonies to help. When he learned of their problem he had volunteered his assistance, but everyone reassured him it wasn't necessary. Besides Vice Foreign Minister Relena Darlain was staying with him during her vacation and what kind of host would abandon a guest?

"I'll get right to the point then," Lady Une said. "We found the person who sent the agency all the information. She needs protection." 

"I understand, that will be fine." 

"We will make a different arrangement as soon as possible," Lady Une added, wondering if it was a good idea to leave the girl in the hands of such a young aristocrat.

"That sounds like the best decision," Quatre willingly agreed to the assignment. "Is there anything else?"

"Preventer Chang, Duo Maxwell, and Trowa Barton will be accompanying her."

"Okay." Quatre terminated the connection.

Lady Une watched the screen go blank; she rested her head on the heel of her palm. Une ran her fingers through her bangs as she lifted her head.

"Should I have told him who she was?" The head of the Preventers asked Noin, not as a leader but a friend.

"Would it make a difference?"

The Lady Stood up, "I don't know." For the second time that day she had doubts; she turned to face Noin again. "We still need to make sure Mouse comes back," Une used the girl's alias and added, "she refuses help. All I'm positive about is that she needs to get off this colony immediately." 

Preventer Fire watched Lady Une walk to the door and asked, "Does she know?"

"Yes," the older woman answered, "she knows everything but where Fujihara is."

The two women exchanged knowing looks as they glanced out the office door toward where two of the former pilots waited. The boys sat in ignorance of what Lady Une had planned. The only people who knew were Une, Noin and Mouse. 

A dark-haired figure stepped away from his position where he had listed to the phone call, he looked at the blond man and said "Three escorts for one girl seems a little extreme."

The person he addressed looked up at him, "I know."

"Is she in danger or is she the threat, Quatre?" He left the blond to ponder over these words of caution.

Quatre Raberba Winner watched the back of his retreating friend; so much had changed since the wars but in some ways nothing was different. He thought about the call, Lady Une had offered no information on the informant, only the fact that she was in danger. It did seem strange that she hadn't even given him a name. He shrugged off his doubts and ordered four guestrooms to be prepared. 

Relena entered the study; fresh flowers pinned in her golden tresses, "What did Lady Une want?" She smiled sweetly at him and watched for a reaction.

He smiled faintly back at her.

"You aren't leaving are you?" a worried expression filled her face.

"No," he took her hands in his own, "everyone is coming here." He failed to mention the addition of the unknown visitor.

It had been a full year since all of the gundam pilots were under the same roof. Quatre's earth estate served as a safe haven for all his friends: the beautiful gardens and spacious acres of land provided a wonderful escape for even the most tormented of minds. Each of the boys frequented this welcoming abode; a room always waiting even when the master was absent. The Vice Foreign Minister also felt welcome; here she could hide from the mundane paperwork, avoid the tedious meetings and enjoy the companionship of true friends.

Relena sat on the arm of the chair reading over the shoulder of a very serious looking man. Her sandals dangled on the tips of her toes, threatening to fall at any given moment, her faded denim pants rustled as she swung her leg. She wrapped strands of his dark brown unruly locks around her fingers, playfully giving them a little curl; she continued this with several more locks of his hair. A slightly amused grin curved the corner of his lips as she leaned in closer and her honey colored tresses fell over the open pages.

The blond Arabian shuffled through the paperwork on his desk. He watched Relena lean in closer to the man in the chair, resting her head on his shoulder and still playing with the hair on the opposite side of his head. An uneasy feeling grew in Quatre's stomach as he waited somewhat impatiently for the arrival of his guests: anxiety, excitement, and curiosity all in one. The pastel colors of dusk turned into the deep blue hues of twilight as he read through the important documents. He twirled the pen in his fingers as he stared at the letters that formed the words he barely noticed. A flutter of wings from outside brought his attention to the window; his eye caught the last glimpses of birds fleeing the inner courtyard. Two headlights pierced the dark night as a black car pulled into the circle drive. Quatre pushed the chair from the desk, announced the arrival of the expected company to his friends and led the way to the entrance hall.

"Quatre!" Duo exclaimed as he bound through the doorway; he grabbed the blonde's hand and patted him on the back.

Wufei walked in; he watched Maxwell enthusiastically greet their host. Quatre looked around him trying to see the other people that should be with them. 

"Hey, buddy, I didn't know you'd be here," Duo grinned at the man standing a few feet from Quatre, then walked right past him to the Vice Foreign Minister said, "Relena, how have you been?"

She smiled as he released her from his embrace. Relena reached up, brushed the bangs away from his face and asked, "What happened?"

He ran his fingers through his hair, unconsciously exposing more of the red flesh. "Oh, that," he grinned wider as he answered the question, "someone got a lucky punch."

Chang snorted.

Relena looked at Wufei he seemed amused at Duo's answer. She asked, "Who?"

"Squeaker," Maxwell answered.

She looked puzzled, what did that mean? Relena looked from the dark-haired man, to the Arabian prince, and then the Chinese Preventer, trying to make sense of what was happening. With his arms still crossed over his chest Wufei pointed to the door where Trowa and a brunette were now entering the hall. The brown-haired woman was glaring at Duo, obviously not pleased with being called 'squeaker.'

"She did that?" 

Duo gave his companion a dirty look without saying anything.

"You must be losing your touch," the Japanese man who had asked the question continued, "and you call yourself a ladies man."

Maxwell glared even more at the man who said this; why did he have to choose now to be sarcastic? 

An awkward silence followed. A servant interrupted; he walked in carrying the bags from outside. He stepped next to the brunette, his towering form making her look like a mere doll. "Here Miss," he held out his hand, a strong powerful hand that was bigger than the girls face, "let me take that to your room."

"No thank you," she smiled and hugged the bag in question closer, "I'd like to carry it myself if you don't mind."

The servant smiled back and took up her large duffel along with the boys' bags and left. 

Relena looked at the five men in turn, questions racing through her mind. Quatre had an apologetic look, Duo wore his usual grin and the other three were as hard to read as always. She left the room feeling like she didn't belong there, not unwelcome but something made her feel like she didn't fit. Her questions would have to wait for a more opportune time to be answered.

Trowa led the brown-eyed girl further into the house.

Quatre watched her, the lose legs of her navy blue slacks taking the form of her leg as she stepped forward. She placed the strap of her cream-colored bag over her shoulder and for the first time Quatre could see the front of her light blue sweater, it wrapped around her abdomen, the two sides forming a V shape low on her chest reveling a white shirt underneath. Delicate white flowers were embroidered along the neckline and around the sleeves' wrists, a small bow near her hip, clear beads on the thin ribbon moving as she walked. 

Prussian blue eyes kept a close vigil on the girl from across the room. She returned his glare full force. "What's your name?" he asked in monotone.

Quatre shot him a glance.

"They didn't tell you?" she asked in a cool voice, not at all surprised that Lady Une chose not to reveal her name.

Maxwell shuddered as the two continued to stare. "I can see why she worries Lady Une," he muttered in a voice so low no one heard.

A smile spread across her face as neither person backed down, "I am called Mouse."

"Fitting," he said, closing his Prussian blue eyes.

"I'm Quatre Raberba Winner," he smiled trying to lighten the mood, "and this is Heero Yuy." The blond pointed at the other man when he made the formal introduction.

"Heero Yuy, the gundam pilot?" Mouse looked from the blond to the Japanese man. She studied his blue eyes, cold emotionless orbs; their height was about the same and his slightly muscular physique didn't indicate the true strength beneath.

All five men were visibly stunned but they quickly recovered. 

The identity of the gundam pilots remained hidden from the general public. Even after the wars the information was kept confidential. The average person only knew what they heard on the news during the battles, pieces of information leading them to fear or side with the gundams. The only surety among the masses was the knowledge that there were five pilots with exceptional skills and outstanding suits. In the confusion after the fight with Dakim Barton people sought to find the identity of the boys, some claiming them as criminals others insisting they were heroes. All records of the machines and pilots had been destroyed at the orders of Lady Une. Only a few could match a face with the position of gundam pilot, but a name would never have linked him to that.

"No," Heero answered in a gruff voice.

"What would make you say that?" Duo asked, trying to mask his concern with a grin.

"It would make sense to use the name of the assassinated colony leader," she held her head erect as she answered the question; her brown eyes cast down. "But to use the code name after the mission is over." She fixed her almost venomous glare on Heero; "Yuy is a difficult name to live up to."

"Hn." The Japanese man walked up to the brunette. "I don't know what you're talking about."

Mouse took a step closer to him, bringing them face to face, in an indifferent tone she said "Sorry, I must have made a wrong assumption."

"I wonder who will win the staring contest?" the braided boy whispered to Quatre.

"Duo," Winner turned to his friend, his blue eyes as big as they could possibly get.

Duo ran his fingers through his hair, "Geeze." 

The blonde's outburst made Heero and Mouse turn to look at him, ending the 'staring contest.' 

"Aw, you ruined the fun," Duo murmured under his breath.

Wufei glared at Maxwell with murderous intent.

Trowa stepped over to his friend, "Quatre, maybe we should leave this for tomorrow."

The Arabian looked at the clock, "It is late, and you all have had a long day. I think that would be best."

"Good," the American said and placed his hands behind his head. "I'm beat."

"Beat by a mouse," Chang mumbled with an amused air.

"Trowa and I will show you to your room," Quatre said addressing Mouse.

The brunette turned to him. "Mister Winner, I am grateful for your hospitality," with that she made a little bow and faced Heero, "I apologize if I seemed argumentative."

When the three left the room Heero turned to Wufei and asked, "What do the Preventers know about her?"

"I have been told nothing," he answered, mentally cursing Lady Une for leaving them in this situation.

"She said 'they'," Duo butted in. "Does she mean the Preventers?"

"Of course she does," Wufei practically yelled at the American. 

Heero left the two in the room to settle their own dispute. He walked to his room thinking about the possible danger they where in. Few people knew enough about the gundam pilots to identify any of them. Mouse said his name was a code name; she used the word 'mission' to describe the gundams' activities. If she knew it was a code name did she know what the original mission was? How much could she possibly know about operation meteor? His earlier question about who was in danger and who was the threat remained unanswered.

The next morning Relena found the brunette sitting on a bench in the gardens; her feet where pulled up onto the seat and she rested her chin on one knee with the other leg laying folded on the wood surface.

"May I sit here?" Relena asked approaching the girl from behind.

"If you're quiet," she answered.

Relena looked injured. A bird flew past her head and Mouse turned to face the other girl, she laughed at the face she was making. The blue-eyed girl was beginning to get upset. 

"What are you laughing at?" the girl with the golden tresses placed her hands on her hips.

"I'm sorry," Mouse said stifling the giggles. "It's just the expression on your face. When I asked you to be quiet I didn't mean to be rude," she tried to explain her previous comment. "I was watching the bird and I didn't want you to frighten it away. I hope you weren't too terribly offended."

"It's okay," she laughed as well and sat next to the other girl.

The brunette grinned again; Relena asked, "What's so amusing now?"

"I'm caught breaking into private files, sent to earth under the protection of three boys, and end up sitting next to Vice Foreign Minister Darlian."

"That is an awful tragedy, It must be so hard for you." They both laughed, "Call me Relena."

Mouse didn't respond; her eyes were turned to the dark form of Heero Yuy.

Relena followed her gaze and frowned.

"He doesn't trust me," the brunette said, once again facing the girl on the bench.

"Heero doesn't trust anyone," Relena informed her.

Mouse looked back to the man standing in the shadows. "I know," she whispered to the breeze.

Relena looked at Yuy. "What is going on? What are you thinking?" she thought and sighed. The blue-eyed woman thought about how much he had changed and hoped he wasn't reverting back to the way he used to be.


	4. Chapter 4

Gundam Wing, I don't own it. I have no legal claim to any of the five pilots, Relena, or any other significant character from the show. Well wishes to all the readers however few there may be. I'll stop now so you can enjoy the story, bye.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~   
Chapter Four  
Living Legacy  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Where is the girl?" Wufei yelled as he stormed through the doors.

Heero looked up from what he was reading and shrugged carelessly.

To the horror of Quatre's staff the young Chinese man had spent the morning searching through the entire house and surrounding grounds. He marched through the halls scowling at everyone in site and demanding to know where Mouse was; no one could answer his question.

Yuy's nonchalant attitude vexed him; Chang still believed the brunette need to be under constant supervision. A call from the Preventers bureau earlier that day informed him that an attempt on Lady Une's life had been made. If this organization had the power to try such a move it was possible they could find the girl. The threat on her life only seemed small at first but as the days went by everyone involved became more aware of the danger. As more information on the organization was revealed the boys began to understand a little more about Lady Une's concerns. Mouse had still revealed nothing about her past; they still knew nothing about the girl they were assigned to protect.

A third party walked into the room and surveyed the scene before him; he wore a serious expression and spoke deliberately to the raven-haired man, "Quatre's secretary is crying." He glared even more ferociously at Chang, "What did you do, Wufei?"

"Nothing," he answered and added, "I only asked her where Mouse was."

"She's probably somewhere with Relena, Why?" The American asked, "Are you upset because she didn't invite you?"

Duo's worry-about-it-when-it-happens philosophy was getting on Wufei's nerves; "Do you take anything seriously?"

Maxwell retorted, "Do you ever let anyone have fun?"

Wufei scowled at the braided man. Duo shrugged his shoulders and spun around quickly, his braid whipping out behind him only inches away from hitting Chang in the face.

Heero stood up and approached the infuriated Chinese man, a somewhat mocking smile on his face, "Trowa is with them."

"They tried to kill Lady Une," Wufei said.

Yuy said nothing, in his mind he went over all the information gathered, but the goal of this bold move evaded him. 

Someone at the door interrupted his thoughts, the two young men ventured to the front corridor to see who had knocked. They saw the young woman enter and walk past the servant at the door. Her platinum blond hair was pulled over one shoulder; she jerked her head to the side pulling the long yellow tresses with it, allowing the strands to cascade down her back. With a coquettish smirk she turned to Wufei and asked, "Do you know where Quatre is?"

Quatre? He faltered under the scrutinization of the Dorothy's cold gaze. Chang hadn't even noticed the young Arabian was missing. In his search for Mouse he had stopped at the other mans office, where he had questioned Winner's sister, a petite women who adored her brother and worked diligently as his secretary, but Wufei did not go in to see if Quatre was there. 

She smiled again, excused herself and walked down the hall toward Quatre's office. Wufei listed to the click of her pumps on the tile flooring grow quieter, when he heard the soft sound of a door closing he asked Heero, "What is she doing here?"

"Don't know," Heero answered and added, "Quatre's not expecting her, yet." Heero left Wufei there without any further explanation.

As the Chinese man glared in the direction in which the blond woman had retreated, he wondered what the motive behind this unexpected visit was. He couldn't help thinking that Dorothy was up to something; she never did anything unintentionally. Wufei stepped outside; his feet fell upon the cobblestone garden paths as he walked. The cool breeze at any other time would have calmed him, but today his mind was somewhere else. Activities thousands of miles away troubled him; the assignment to protect the only person who might know what was happening plagued his thoughts. A mission to guard a girl who had mastered the art of disappearance, a mission to protect a girl who quickly made friends with the only other person he knew to have mastered that same art.

Preventer Chang contacted Wind nothing had changed; the group was still untraceable. He decided to take his frustration out on the punching bag. Wufei skillfully maneuvered his body, delivering blow after blow to the defenseless object. Beads of perspiration formed on his brow and chest as he intensified the workout. His legs swiftly cut through the air as he performed several powerful kicks. He stood there motionless for a few seconds debating on what to do next. The sound of clapping hit his ears, the muscles in his shoulder tensed and he turned around. 

"Bravo. Excellent display of skill," Dorothy said, "and what a powerful technique."

"What do you want?" Wufei merely grunted.

She smiled and flipped her hair; "It seems that everyone is back from their excursion."

Dorothy and Wufei met everyone in the front of the house.

"Miss Catalonia," Quatre beamed, only a little shocked that she was there.

"Hey guys!" Duo exclaimed as he joined the crowd outside, a plate of food in his hands. He looked from Trowa's wet hair to the bare shoulders that were slightly red from exposure to the sun, and then he glanced at Quatre, whose hair was also wet. Duo double-checked, yes, the blond man was actually wearing shorts. Maxwell stood between the two women who had just returned, he looked at each of them in turn and with an injured expression said, "You went to the beach and didn't ask me to come."

Relena laughed, "You were sleeping."

"Like a baby," Mouse added as she watched Duo place a large bite of food in his mouth.

"You were even drooling," the golden-haired girl announced.

"And snoring," the brunette said.

He finished another mouthful and looked at Mouse, "Did you break into Heero's wardrobe?" The former god of death laughed as she looked down at her clothes.

Relena covered her mouth trying not to giggle.

Heero, who had just stepped out heard the comment and was now glaring at Duo.

Trowa and Wufei both looked at the brunette, she was still in complete darkness as to what that remark meant. She was wearing a green bathing suit and black sweatpants, the waistband rolled over and the legs around her ankles were wet with sand clinging to the cloth. Quatre forced himself not to smile; somehow she did look like Heero.

"What?" she asked as they continued to stare.

"Don't worry about it Mouse," Relena offered.

"So who won?" Duo asked, changing the subject and gesturing to the volleyball Relena held resting on her hip.

"They did," Trowa informed Duo as he pointed at the women.

"See, you should have taken me." Maxwell handed his plate to Relena and smacked the ball away form her. "If I was there you would have won," he told Trowa as he bumped the ball.

"Oh, really," Mouse said taking the ball from him.

"Sure thing, Squeaker," with that Duo pulled the crossing straps in the back of her bathing suit and let them go with a snap.

Relena passed the plate to Trowa and wrung her hair over the collar of Duo's shirt. Several large drops of cold ocean water traced their way down his spine; he jumped forward and turned around. "Relena!"

The expression on his face made nearly everyone laugh; even Yuy smirked.

Dorothy cleared her throat and all heads turned to her.

Quatre sweetly smiled, "Mouse this is Miss Dorothy Catalonia."

"Hi," the brunette handed Relena the volleyball and waved to the blond woman, who acknowledged the greeting with a nod. 

Barton handed Maxwell back his food and entered the house without saying a word.

"What is that?" Relena asked, pointing to Duo's plate.

"Good," Duo said with his mouth full of the yet to be identified substance.

"I can't believe you're eating that," Dorothy said stepping forward and joining the group.

"It's just chilly and chips," he said. "Want some?" The braided boy held the plate out offering the blond a bite.

"No thank you."

"How about you Relena," he faced her and then turned to the other girl, "Mouse?"

Relena shook her head; Mouse held her hands in front of her blocking Duo from getting the plate closer to her.

Wufei glared at Maxwell as the others started to go in.

"What's wrong?" Relena whispered to Duo when Chang had also left the party.

"Don't worry about him, Lena," he said, slapping her on the bottom.

"Duo!" She gave his braid a tug and rushed into the house.

"Aren't you going to run too?" he asked, giving Mouse an impish grin.

"Run from you," she walked up to him with a coy smile; "I don't think so."

"You should."

"Okay." Mouse darted to the door, shut it behind her, and locked it.

"Hey, not fair," Duo said as he turned the knob to open the giant wood doors.

Wufei's hands move steadily through the air, the toned muscles in his bare back contracting with the movement; he had returned to his exercises after leaving the others. His mind focused intently on the motions, every part of his body under his control, every aspect of this environment suited to his liking. It seemed nothing could distract him, no one disturb his solitude. He closed his ebony eyes, inhaling and exhaling with the motion of his fists; he jabbed at the air and took several steps forward, he stopped mid-punch.

"Why are you here, Mouse?" he grunted without opening his eyes.

"I distinctly recall not having much choice." She folded her arms across her chest.

Chang opened his eyes to glare at her before returning to his activities.

"Are you just going to stand there and stare?" he asked when he saw she wasn't going to leave.

The girl sighed, slipped off her shoes and stepped onto the mat. Side by side she matched each fluid motion with a near perfect synchronization, even their breathing harmonized. She waited for him to open the link to communication. 

"What do you want?" he stopped and scowled at her. 

"From you," Mouse answered taking a new stance and closing her eyes, "nothing but an answer."

"An answer to what?" he said allowing himself to watch her movements with a slight interest.

"What happened?" she asked turning her head to face him and still jabbing at the air in front of her body. Although she had not known him for long Mouse had learned to discern a few things; she knew something had happened. 

"When?" He grabbed her fist in his hand and smirked, "You have to move faster." He flung her hand away.

"Today, yesterday," the brunette stopped and placed her hands on her hips, "I don't know--that's why I'm asking you."

"Where?" he asked, picking up on his routine where he had left off.

She took the same place as before and followed his lead. "On my home colony," Mouse said kicking her leg high in the air.

Wufei was watching her out of the corner of his eye, as she swung her leg out yet again for another kick, he grabbed her ankle stopping her from completing the rotation, his actions were too quick for her to respond. He held her leg there inches from his face, "Your defense is weak." 

She shrugged, "What happened to the Preventers?"

The Chinese man pulled her leg causing her to fall to the mat landing with a thump. "Nothing," he said and walked away.

"Interesting way to have a conversation," Quatre grinned and helped Mouse to her feet, he hadn't been there long but he had seen enough.

"Is he like that with everyone," she smiled back, "or am I just lucky?"

He laughed, "Can I chose not to answer that?"

She picked up her shoes, "I guess it's one of life's great mysteries."

"Like how Duo got locked outside." He gave her with a knowing glance.

"I do wonder how that could have happened," she said as they climbed the stairs.

"You shouldn't take Wufei's gruffness personally," the young Arabian tried to apologize for his Chinese friend.

"It's all right," the brunette said and then whispered, "He has other things on his mind; we all do."

They separated at the top of the stairs, each going to their respective rooms to shower and change.

That night all of Quatre's guests ate at the same table, a large arrangement of foods placed before them, all the young people talking, eating, and joking as if their pasts made no difference. Five former gundam pilots, a once queen of the world, the granddaughter of a Romefeller leader, and a mysterious brunette all in the here and now, nothing else mattered. Admitted Duo did do a vast majority of the talking and a great deal more of the eating than the others but that only served to make the evening more enjoyable.

Dorothy placed her fork down after finishing her meal and asked, "Why do you call yourself 'Mouse'?"

"I don't." The brown-eyed woman took a sip and added, "You do."

Quatre looked up in disbelief. "This can't be happening," he thought, an overwhelming urge to crawl under the table nagging at every fiber of his being. He recalled the night Mouse arrived; he then remembered the fight with Dorothy on Libra, his hand instinctively went to the scar from that dual.

The idea of what was to come either frightened or excited every person sitting there. Duo leaned forward in his seat to get a better view; he looked like a sports spectator ready to enjoy a good show, lacking only some popcorn to make the experience even more delightful. She could win an argument with Wufei but this was owed highly to the fact that she could keep her cool while his temper often went unchecked. Chang remembered her conversation behind the closed doors with Lady Une; even the composed head of the Preventers agency had difficulties keeping calm with this girl. Relena tried to make eye contact with either of the two women; pleading with her cerulean orbs that they not do this. 

Undaunted by this less than desirable response Dorothy returned with her rebuttal, "You have another name but allow people to address you by Mouse?"

"I have been called many things," the brunette answered with a smile on her face. "Some better, some worse."

"Then why do you chose to be called this?"

Mouse stopped to think everyone looked at her, it was uncommon for the brunette not to have a response. Inside Heero secretly smirked, this was amusing; she had questioned his choice of keeping the name Yuy, now it was her turn to answer. She thought back to the first time she had been compared to the small animal. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_A small girl sat in her wheelchair, her slight frame shallow and pale but a smile adorned her face; her thin lips always curled upward no matter how much pain she was in. She watched a younger girl, shorter than herself, her little legs carrying her body from place to place busily moving things searching for something. A look of deep thought filled her amber eyes, she longed to see the vibrant shining child her sister used to be; the waddling toddler full of energy, hope, light and life, ignorant to the cruelties of man, untouched by loss. Some of that remained in the child running about, but most of it had been worn away. The girl confined to the wheelchair started to laugh._

"Why are you laughing Midori?"

"The way you were darting around you remind me of a mouse." She could see the puzzled expression on her little sister's face. 

In a way she envied the other girl; Midori lovingly studied the person standing in front of her, the girl's hands placed on her hips waiting not so patiently for an explanation. 

"You scamper like a little mouse," Midori pulled the girl closer and ran her fingers through the glossy hair, "You even have brown hair and eyes like a little mouse."

"Maybe I am a squirrel."

"No, not a squirrel," Midori shook her head. "Definitely a mouse."

"You're right," the little girl responded. "If I was a squirrel I'd have to like nuts."

They both laughed.  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mouse smiled at the fond recollection of her sister and that day. She tried harder to remember the reason; her sister was the first to call her that but other people did as well, without her asking them to. The brunette wondered if she choose the name, again a memory filled her mind.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_The shuttle was boarding its passengers; the final call would be announced at any moment. She stood there watching the tall man next to her. He smiled a boyish grin as he looked into her face; he was no more than eighteen or nineteen, about ten years older than the girl he was standing with._

"What are you thinking, Milady?" He put his hand on her head and ruffled her hair.

"I'm not thinking," she answered and bowed her head, "I'm hoping."

"You'll be all right." He watched her carefully, but she wasn't convinced. "Hey, I got you something," the man pulled a stuffed animal from a bag and handed it to her, his azure eyes shimmering.

She fingered the soft velvety pink lining in the ear of the mouse; she was about to say something when the announcement to board came over the speakers. 

"Time to go little Mouse."

"Thank you," she finally said, "but my name is..."

The man scooped her up before she could finish, he carried her at his side, his strong arm wrapped around her waist, her arms and legs dangling. He had never asked her for her name and she had never volunteered the information. "You're just Mouse," he said as he gently put her down. "You always will be."

"Okay." She hugged him, then looked at the shuttle, "Good-bye."

"Mouse, smile for me, please." He shook his head as she tried to fulfill his request; "You are a strange child. We will both be all right, believe me." His blue eyes held an unwavering faith in those words as he held her chin up to look straight into her brown eyes, "And I will see you smile for real. That's a promise."   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

After the long pause Mouse fixed her gaze steadily on Dorothy. "I didn't choose. Of everything I've been called," she continued, "it chose me."

"But a mouse is a rodent," Dorothy commented, "a common pest, a nuisance. And you still allow other people to use it as your name."

Wufei mulled over Dorothy's definition of a mouse and found it to be somewhat true, deciding now that there was nothing wrong with the girl using it.

"A name is nothing more than a word others use to identify people. It holds no significance." Mouse smirked, "It is no more than a tag."

"True." Dorothy stood up and faced Quatre; "I must be going now. I had a pleasant evening."

"I'm sorry that you couldn't stay longer," the blond responded.

"I'll come again," she said with a flick of her hair and a look that suggested her purpose in coming that day wasn't to visit with Quatre.

The majority of the party escorted Dorothy out to say good night and chat a little more.

"You contradict yourself," Trowa announced when Mouse and him were the only two left in the room.

"In what way?"

"You told Heero his name was a difficult name to live up to and now you say names hold no significance."

"I didn't think you would care about what people called themselves, Trowa Barton," she said pointedly. "You too live with a borrowed name."

He gazed into her eyes, "How do you know that?"

She avoided answering his question and instead replied to his first comment, "In a way I am a contradiction."

Trowa stood there and watched her walk away, thinking of how a person could be a contradiction, wondering what was on her mind to make her reveal something like that to him. In admitting that she knew his name had belonged to another before him was she saying that she trusted him? He knew her to be a careful person, nothing slipped; she was not a shrewd person, but she didn't let people know what she didn't want them to know. 

*Nice place to stop, don't you think? 


	5. Chapter 5

Living Legacy  
Chapter 5  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Relena sat on the window seat; her cerulean eyes fixed disdainfully on the looming clouds, the bleak gray horizon dragging her spirit down. She shifted her position and sighed, drumming her nails on the windowpane; a clear layer of glass the only thing separating her from the outside world. With her head resting carelessly on the wall and her long slender fingers tracing the mahogany woodwork between the panes she let out another long breath turning to face the only other person in the room. 

Taking this as a sign to speak the brown-eyed woman asked, "Prithee princess why art thou so glum?" 

"That's not funny." Relena tossed a throw pillow at her and adding her answer to the question said, "This is my last day of freedom."

"Ah yes, the servant of peace must return to her official duties." Mouse sat next to the princess and in a more serious tone said, "I thought you didn't have to go back until the day after tomorrow."

"I'll have to spend most of tomorrow getting ready for the State Dinner." She looked out again, "I wanted to do something fun. It's our last full day together and the weather is horrible."  


"I've had lots of fun since I got here. It's okay, I really don't need to be entertained and remember I'm grounded," the brunette stated with a grin. "Official orders of Preventer Chang."

Relena snickered at the memory of yesterday. The two women had ventured to the nearest city without an escort; upon their return Wufei had almost exploded, lecturing them about why Mouse was there. To her recollection, he had never said that much at one time.

"I doubt that would stop you."

"If Wufei wouldn't stop me why would the weather?"

"It would be real easy to get away right now," Relena added. "I haven't seen any of the boys for a while."

Mouse smirked at this tempting offer, "Is it worth it?"

"You have an idea," Relena's face lit up, she thought about the prospects of the brunette's notion. "What is it?"

"We don't have to leave to have some fun." She started to walk out of the room, enjoying the puzzled looks from Relena. 

Eager to find out what Mouse had in mind, Relena walked briskly after her, when they reached the hall they were almost running. At the stairs the brown-eyed girl started sprinting, the other girl at her heels. 

The five boys only half-questioned what the two girls were doing as they darted past the study. Inside, the former pilots had gathered in a conference, shutting the door before they started to talk.

"What's this about?" Duo asked, lazily dropping into a cushioned chair.

"I don't know," Quatre offered, "we're doing this at the request of Lady Une."

"She should contact us in a few minutes," Wufei added from his position near the door.

"Has anything serious happened?" Trowa questioned.

Chang answered, "Not since the threat on Une's life."

Concerned, the blond asked, "Are Noin and Zechs all right?" 

"They moved base and since then nothing has happened," the Chinese man stated.

The video screen flickered on and Lady Une accompanied by Zechs and Noin appeared. 

"Is everyone here?" The head of the Preventers started the proceedings, pausing for a slight nod from the other end, "Fujihara has disappeared again, he might be going after Mouse."

"What makes you believe that?" Heero inquired, for the first time voicing his opinion.

Maxwell asked, "What reason does he have? He couldn't know she was the one who contacted the Preventers." The possibility of someone finding this out never crossed his mind; they had only caught her by a strange coincidence.

"That is the only reason for our concern," Une lied in answer to Duo's question and fell silent.

"The Preventers base on Earth received an encrypted file late yesterday," Noin started to explain. "With it came a message. We haven't been able to break the code on the file."

Une interrupted, continuing to give them the information, "It stated that we should deliver the file to Mouse and was sent from the same offices where she was apprehended."

"Can you be certain it is from Fujihara?" Heero asked. 

"No," Lady Une answered. "I'm sending you the file. Heero do you think you can break the code?"

"It might take some time," he answered flatly.

"We will contact you later to see if anything develops." With that she terminated the connection.

"Should we tell Mouse?" Quatre asked.

"No," Wufei said, thinking about how she still didn't know of the attempted assassination.

"I agree," Heero added, taking a seat at the computer and looking at the file Lady Une had just sent.

"Why not?" Duo blurted out.

"Lady Une gave no orders to deliver the file to Mouse," Chang gave one of his reasons for not wanting the girl to know. 

Trowa leaned on the desk next to Heero, arms folded across his chest; looking at the opposite wall and addressing no one, he said, "She didn't send the message."

Prussian blue eyes turned up to look at Barton, perceiving why he pointed this out. 

They fell silent, watching Heero work at his task; the time passing slowly as he typed. Each keystroke brought him closer to unlocking the mystery of what the file held. The code was almost broken when a wrong command deleted everything he had done so far. Again he worked, getting a little further and again the wrong command put him back to the beginning; he cursed under his breath.

"Man, Heero, you must be losing your touch," Duo said mocking the Japanese man. "It's almost been an hour."

"Do you want to try?" Heero asked in a harsh tone, glaring at Duo, daring him to say something else. 

The dark-haired man turned his eyes back to the monitor, repeating his actions much quicker than the first two attempts; he made it to the same place as before when again all the work was lost.

"Let Mouse have it," Trowa told everyone in the room.

Wufei scowled at the emerald-eyed clown.

"What's she going to do with it?" Duo asked incredulously, adding with heavy sarcasm, "Even the perfect soldier Heero Yuy couldn't break the code."

"It was meant for her to see," Quatre stated. "We should let her have it."

"No," Maxwell said, changing his earlier opinion, fearing what the file held, wanting to save the brunette from anything bad, sure that it contained something disagreeable. 

"This man knows what he is doing. I will only get to this point again and again, I don't know how many times before I can break the rest. We have to give her the file," Heero reluctantly agreed with Trowa.

"If we do that we may never know what's there," Chang tried to reason with the other pilots.

"Wufei," the tallest boy said, "try trusting her. She is the one who brought the organization's activities to the attention of the Preventers."

The muffled sound of uncontrollable laughter was heard seeping through the crevice between the door and it's frame.

Out-voted, the Chinese man nodded his consent, the meeting adjourned and they followed the riotous noise of the girls.

"I don't think I can do that," Relena admitted between giggles.

"Do what?" the braided pilot asked cheerfully. 

Mouse and Relena immediately stopped their laughing, biting their lips trying not to let the noise escape when they saw the solemn faces on the other four boys. 

The only one truly curious about what they had been doing, Duo started to talk with Relena, begging her to tell him. Trowa walked up to Mouse; he carefully explained to her what had happened, his voice so low she was the only one to hear his words. She frowned and stepped out with him, a sinking felling deep inside her, the feeling of falling, plummeting into the unknown. Close behind Wufei and Quatre followed. Maxwell paused for a moment trying to decide what was more interesting, the file or the girls' activity; he left the room walking quickly to catch up with the others.

Relena walked up to Heero with an alluring smile. 

"What were you doing before we came in?" he asked, knowing that's what she wanted.

"Mouse was teaching me something," she answered, stepping closer.

"Oh, really," he said, playing along. "What?"

"I'll show you." She pushed a button on the stereo, reaching over his shoulder and brushing his ear with her arm as she did so.

A faint sound filled his ears: a slow rhythmic drumbeat, one long low note on a wood pipe creating the familiar tone of a breeze, and a soft melody. Relena stepped back, her hips swaying with the music; she brought her hands up her side loosely tracing the shape of her body and extending them high above her head. Her cerulean orbs followed the motion, her delicate chin pointing upward, the smooth white creamy skin on her neck drawing Heero's attention. As another instrument was added, making the patter of a light rain, she gracefully lowered her arms, the gentle movements of her wrists turning her palms to face her and then back out, slowly crossing them in an alternating pattern on their decent down the center of her frame.

Heero watched with interest as she continued her dance, his mind solely on the movements of her body as it told an unspoken story. Everything that happened earlier that day was forgotten, anything that might happen later didn't matter; the only things that existed were the peaceful music and the girl standing before him. He stepped into a different position to better observe this dance, he noticed her golden tresses sweeping the small of her back with a hypnotic motion. The hem of her sky-blue wraparound skirt brushed against the calves of her long legs. With a stomp to accent the simple beat of the drum more of her leg peered out from under the overlapping folds of cloth, showing the area just above her knee. As her arm once again was lifted over her head the gap between her skirt and shirt widened, exposing the flesh on her side. In a circular motion she shifted her shoulders, now holding her other hand higher and revealing the opposite side of her belly.

The drumbeat steadily grew faster, stronger, louder, and with it the rhythm of the girl's hips. Relena turned to face Heero again; her eyes focused on his face, she no longer paid attention to the movement of her arms. Forgetting the motions Mouse had taught her only moments before she improvised one of her own, moving her hands in front of her with an almost beckoning manner. The same long low note was heard again and the drumbeat quelled, leaving the soft melody and another patter of light rain. Once more the note was played as the melody faded away; then slowly the sound of the breeze vanished.

With her performance finished she walked up to Heero, standing face to face, she said, "That's what we were doing."

"Nice," he said in a tone that was barely audible.

"I think so too," she whispered.

He leaned in and kissed her tenderly on the lips, pulling her closer to him, feeling the heat radiate from her body. They broke off and she gazed into his eyes, his arm lingering around her waist.

"I should have learned that a long time ago," Relena said, another smile playing on her face as Heero kissed her again. 

For the others in the room down the hall things weren't as pleasant. Mouse sat at the computer, mechanically typing, trying to crack the code; with amazement the boys watched her move with almost the same speed as Yuy. Her fingers moved as if programmed to do this, her eyes gazing at the screen seeming to see nothing. The sound of fast drumming wafted down the hall reaching the ears of everyone in the room, as soon as they noticed it the sound ceased. Maxwell inched out the open door, his movements undetected by the others; he ventured to peek through the door where they had left Heero and Relena.

More time passed and the code was still unbroken. Mouse wrinkled her nose when she reached the same spot where Yuy was repeatedly blocked. In thought she closed her eyes for a brief moment; opening them again, an unknown emotion displayed in the brown orbs, she returned to her typing. Slowly now, with great caution, she continued to enter the commands that would unlock the file. 

With one more keystroke to finish she turned to face the men in the room. "Could you leave please? I want to see this alone."

Wufei was about to refuse her simple request when glares from the other two men stopped him. 

"Okay," Quatre said leaving the room.

"Why are you letting her do this?" the Chinese man growled as Trowa pulled the door shut.

Mouse drew her hand away from the keyboard, rubbing her first two fingers with her thumb before taking a deep breath and entering the last command. A scared face appeared on the screen: a man with graying dark brown hair, his shoulders squared, a mocking presence carried throughout his entire personage.

"I see your skills have not diminished?" He grinned widely. "Do you think you are safe? The Preventers cannot protect you. Quit playing your little games; they are futile, you are only building a false hope. They cannot stop me, you cannot stop." As if adding on a second thought he continued with, "I will find them and I will find you."

She punched more keys quickly trying to see if there was any more of the message, a small hint on where this man could be. Another face appeared on the screen, a younger man with jet-black hair, azure eyes, and a smooth complexion.

"Squeaker," he started.

Mouse looked at the screen and said, "You fool." 

"Don't look at me like that," the prerecorded message continued to play. "I found the file he sent and attached this to it. Don't worry; he can't trace it back to me." His face changed to a more serious expression. "I'll keep it short. Stay where you are, his threats are empty; he will never discover where you are." He turned his eyes away, "Someone has been trying to find you though; recently a person has been searching for your past. Bye."

"Take your own advice," Mouse whispered, "don't do anything?"

The girl continued her search, sitting there, forgetting about the boys waiting in the hall.

"What are you doing?" Trowa asked Duo, whose head was in the crack of the slightly opened door as he watched Yuy and Darlian still wrapped in each others arms, talking and exchanging kisses.

Maxwell didn't respond; Barton lightly rapped on the wall with his knuckles and at the sound the couple inside stopped what they were doing. Duo glared at the back of his friend as he walked away; quickly the American decided to leave before Heero found out he was watching.

"So, has anything happened here?" he asked grinning and holding his arms behind his head in his typical fashion.

"She should be done," Wufei snorted.

They heard a noise from inside the room and a voice exclaim, "Damn it! Why won't you work?"

Curious, Duo opened the door just a little and peered through, he saw her head go down to the desk as she mumbled, "Where did you go?" 

He stepped inside. "Did you lose something?"

"Only my sanity," she answered, lifting up her head to look at him.

Mouse's hair fell over her face covering her eyes; she blew a quick puff of air upward, sending the locks flying, only to come back down in the same place and stick to her moist glossy lips. She tucked the disorderly tresses behind her ears; they curled around circling the lower part of her ear.

"Yelling at the computer doesn't help," Duo said, smiling and taking a place behind her chair.

The others walked in, including Heero, whose previous activities were interrupted.

"Did you survive the fall?" Duo asked, tickling the nape of her neck, making her jerk her shoulders up to protect the vulnerable area.

"I finished," she said, getting up and tapping a few keys. 

Mouse left as the file began to play again.

"That's it?" the braided boy exclaimed as the man finished speaking.

"Be quite, Maxwell."

They discussed the fate of the girl, carefully weighing the options of what to do now. While Trowa and Heero talked with cool calm level heads, Duo and Wufei bickered, voices raising to a shouting level. Quatre played the message again carefully listening to every word, judging for himself what this man was capable of.

The ground was wet from the quick burst of a heavy summer ran. Lying by the pool in a padded lawn chair Mouse covered her eyes with the thick black lenses of her sunglasses. Alone, she reflected on her choices of what to do; the same thing the boys were doing inside the house. The thick gray clouds were shutting off the sun's rays, the extreme quite allowing her to concentrate. Suddenly she became aware of a body hovering over her.

"You're blocking my sun," she said.

"What are you doing?" he asked, looking at the gray horizon.

"Tanning. You don't expect me to go back without looking like I've been to Earth?"

"You still think you're going back," Wufei said, thinking about another discussion they had had.

"Eventually."

He knew she meant 'soon'. "You shouldn't be out here."

"Why?" she asked, standing to face him. "Are you afraid someone might see me? I'm not."

His mind went back to the video of Fujihara, the threat the man had made, the fact that no one was sure where this man could be.

Inside the others were still talking, Relena joining the conversation with sorted details of what was happening. A call interrupted their discussion; Quatre left and came back after a few minutes.

"That was Dorothy," he said upon entering the room, a puzzled expression on his face. "She said something came up and she can't attend the State Dinner with me tomorrow evening."

Unsure why this would puzzle the young Arabian man, Relena asked, "Did she say what happened?

He shook his head; "She only said that she was feeling a little under the weather."

Still not satisfied, Heero asked, "What else did she say?"

"Dorothy asked if it would be possible for me to bring Mouse."

"You did tell them that you would have a companion at the dinner," Relena added.

"I can't ask her to do that," Quatre stated. "And now I don't think it would be wise for her to go out."

Chang and Mouse walked in, everyone looked at them not only surprised that she had come in just when they were talking about her, but also the fact that she came in with Wufei. 

"What happened?" Wufei asked, seeing the way they were all staring at the brunette. 

"Dorothy called to say she couldn't attend the Dinner with Quatre tomorrow," Trowa informed him.

Seeing the predicament, Wufei said, "Take Maxwell."

"Can't," Yuy simply stated, starting to leave the room.

"Why?" Chang called after him. "If you unbraid his hair he could make a convincing onna."

"It's not that," Heero said turning to smirk at Duo. "His idea of a fancy dinner is taking the food out off the box before eating it."

Maxwell winced at the low blow.

Long after the sun had set Heero sat at the computer, spending yet another night digging through files from the L1 colonies; more specifically the colony where Mouse had come from. He had no luck locating what he wanted, the changing screen casting a cold glowing light on his face. The shuffle of feet on the floor caught his attention, a noise no other person would be able to hear. He spun around, pulling his gun out and standing to meet the intruder.

"Nice way to greet people," Mouse said, finding herself face to face with a gun barrel. She touched his hand; her fingers were warm and the long loose sleeve of her shirt slide down her arm. "You really don't want to do that."

He lowered the weapon, "What makes you so sure?"

"Did you find what you're looking for?"

He glared at her and sat back in the chair. "Does anything shock you?"

"I was warned about the gun." 

"Don't tell Relena," he stated, still facing the monitor.

She glanced at the computer over his shoulder; "You won't find it there." Mouse leaded over the man and with her one hand quickly typed something in. Several documents appeared on the screen and she said, "Try here."

He glanced through the words, picking out a few things to look at as she started to leave.

^_^ Hmmm did she give Heero the information he wanted? We'll find out soon. As always questions and comments are welcome. 

. 


	6. Chapter 6

Disclaimer: Pertaining to this fic I own next to nothing. I don't own Gundam Wing, nor do I claim to. As for Mouse she is of my own creation. 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Living Legacy   
Chapter 6  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Is this you?" Heero asked in his monotone voice as he dropped a stack of papers in front of Mouse.

She looked at the picture, a black and white computer printout of a young girl with a name, age, and other information written next to it. The image was several years old but it was unmistakably the person Heero addressed.

He pointed to the name at the top. "This is your name?"

"Yes that is my given name," Mouse answered his question.

The Japanese man turned to another paper and held it out for her to see, he then flipped to more printed information; "You knew all of this. Why didn't you tell someone?"

She looked at him for the first time since he had entered the room and asked, "If I told you would you have believed me?"

"If you knew it was there why didn't _you_ retrieve the documented information?"

The brunette didn't answer. 

"Why did you leave me to find this?" he asked glaring at her. His mind went to the previous night when she had given him the first hint of where to look. Heero searched into the early hours of the morning, and still some of the information wasn't there, pieces of the documents erased or blacked out.

Mouse simply stated, "Someone needs to know and I couldn't break into the system to find it." 

"Do you do this because you hate this man?" A trace of bitterness could be heard in his voice.

She glanced at him, an injured expression in her eyes, his presumption tearing at her, his cold tone and fierce glare made her uncomfortable.

"Is your only goal in finding him vengeance?" he asked more firmly than before. "Do you hate him so much you would risk your own life to have revenge?"

"Do you think you are the only one who has ever thought their life was cheep?" Mouse asked. Not waiting for an answer she added, "It is true, if it was the only way I would risk my safty to stop him. I have more reason to hate him than any other living person."

Heero looked at her in amazement, she agreed with him. Could she be saying she did this out of hatred? 

"But I do not hate him. My goal is not vengeance." She turned so her back was facing him and continued, "I have seen what hate can do to the lives of those who live in it. I try to never make a decision out of hate."

"Then why?"

Mouse pulled a patch out of her pocket, an old Specials lieutenant rank badge; she laid it on the top of the papers.

"What does this mean?" He picked up the badge and looked at it carefully. "It doesn't answer my question?"

"All the answers are there in those papers. You're not asking the right questions." She walked out the door without saying any more.

Heero went to his room, taking the papers with him and making contact with no one in his retreat from downstairs. The answers, he had them, there in his hand, among these papers of statistics and old pieces of news; between the blacked out lines of information, they were there. If everything he need was there then why was it so hard to figure out what these papers were saying about her? His mind went over every possible question, anything that someone might wonder, what did she want him to ask? What did he really want to know? His curiosity was only more perplexed by what he had found; her name, age, and date of birth the only information making any sense. He eyed the tuxedo hanging from the hook on the back of his door and rolled his eyes; the thought of wearing that monkey suit on a sultry summer evening disgusted him. 

A light knocking sound brought Mouse out of her reverie; the memory of the conversation with Heero, although hours old, was still fresh in her mind.

"Come in," she said without looking up or moving.

The blond Arabian man walked in, silently looking around and only stepping a few inches past the door. He studied the frame of girl sitting cross-legged on the bed, her naked feet peeking out from beneath her knees, miscellaneous items scattered around her. Her back was straight; her eyes focused intently on what she held in her hand. Something about her just sitting in the room made it feel different, more than a spare room reserved for visitors. The warm sunlight filtered through the sheer curtains, lazily shining though the dangling prisms on a lamp placed strategically near the open window. Tiny rainbows danced across the room; sparks of vibrant color gliding on the solid beige walls as the breeze moved the decorations.

"Hello Quatre," was her cordial greeting, but an indication of sorrow entered the phrase.

The brunette tilted her head a little as she glanced at him, her lips slightly curled upward and her short brown locks slid down her face. The strands curled on her cheek, a stray rainbow wondered across the thin wisps of the feathery soft tresses that ended below her shining eyes. Quatre noticed then that her hair was the same shade of brown as her eyes; inside he smiled at the thought of how it seemed to have a mind of its own.

He sensed the sadness in her voice and walking further into the room he asked, "Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," Mouse answered. "I was just thinking." 

"About yesterday or tonight," the blond questioned, sure she was distraught about the threatening message of the previous day. "If you don't want to go it's okay." 

"Not thinking, really," she looked at him, "I guess it's more like remembering." Gathering the things lying on the bed she added, "Trying to recall the past." 

A photograph fell to the floor, Quatre picked it up and placed it next to Mouse taking a quick glance at the image: an exceedingly pregnant woman, a young man kissing her on the forehead, and an older woman holding her hand to the other lady's belly.

"Who are they?" he asked, hoping he wasn't intruding.

"My mother, grandmother and uncle."

Quatre glanced at the photo again. "Is she...umm...is that..." he stuttered through his words not sure if he should ask or how he should phrase it. 

"No," Mouse smiled at him, "my sister Midori." 

She pulled another picture out of the multicolored box on the bed and handed it to him, putting the other things back in as he looked at it.

"Her eyes are lighter than yours."

"We were very different," she said. "She looks more like our mother than I do."

"What's that?" he asked as she place a large curved piece of painted glass into the box.

"A piece of a broken plate. When I lived with my grandmother we always had tea together, at the same time, using the same dish set, just the three of us, Midori, grandmother and me, no matter what." She smiled at the memory and continued with her story, "I dropped one of the plates. I was so upset, I remember how she loved them because they were a gift from grandfather. I never knew him, my grandfather, he died before Midori was born."

"Mouse," Quatre started.

"Suki." She interrupted him and then seeing the puzzled expression on his face added, "My name is Suki."

"I came to say you don't have to attend the Dinner with me tonight," he trailed off as she placed the lid on her box and stood up.

"I don't mind." She grinned. "It might even be enjoyable."

He seriously doubted any gathering of the social elite could be enjoyable, but he had learned that with Mouse involved anything could happen. "It did seem that my sister pushed you into saying yes."

Quatre's sister, acting secretary and matchmaker, was the one who had asked the brunette to attend the event, after a long discussion with Dorothy several days in advance.

"No worries," Suki grinned and saluted him, "I'll be on my best behavior--promise."

She slipped her shoes on, raising her foot to pull the strap over her heel. Quatre escorted her down the stairs after a servant informed them that someone was waiting for them. Surprisingly, Dorothy was there, looking a little groggy with her nose slightly red, although it wasn't from illness. She made apologies for backing out at the last moment and explained she was there to help Mouse and Relena prepare for the evening, along with Quatre's sister.

"Those girls have been up there all day," Maxwell yawned. "There's been nothing to do."

Quatre smiled at him. "They did come out for a short time."

"To get food," he said, having a little fun at their expense. "They raided the kitchen. I checked--there's nothing left." With a laugh he added, "I tried to see if they were okay but they're heavily armed with pillows." The Japanese pilot walked in and Duo turned to talk with him, "You know Relena has a pretty good arm and excellent aim." 

"What are you talking about?" 

"I opened the door to the room the girls are in and Relena hit me in the face with a pillow," Maxwell said, addressing the question.

"You probably deserved it," Heero told his American companion with a smirk.

"Man, Hilde would love to get me in one of those," Duo cheerfully stated, trying to change the subject as he watched Heero button the sleeves on his dress shirt. 

"How is Hilde?" Quatre asked, making the last adjustments to his tux.

"She's bored without me of course." He held his arms behind his head, recalling the phone conversation with her that morning and continuing with, "She can't wait to have me home and she hopes all of you are doing good." 

Heero glared at his cocky friend, pulling on his jacket and making no signs that he even heard the braided man's comment.

Wufei walked through the front entrance where the men were waiting and making last modifications to their clothing, he mumbled something that sounded like a reluctant greeting and wandered back out. The Chinese man returned to whatever corner of the house he had been hiding in all day; a relaxing place where he could still see the stairs and front door but no one could see him.

Dorothy came down the stairs, smiling. With a glint in her blue eyes she looked at Quatre, titling her head, the long yellow locks of hair following her movements as she stepped to the side and examined him more closely. She straightened his tie, brushed some of the blond hair away from his face, said good-bye, and speedily walked out the door.

The Arabian wondered about her actions, then his thoughts fell to Wufei. Something seemed strange; he didn't argue about Mouse leaving the protective walls of the house. Chang had said nothing when she agreed to the request and no one had seen him throughout the entire day.

"It's time to leave. Why haven't they come down yet?" Heero asked with a tone only slightly above a whisper and an anxious hope to get the night over with.

"You know women," Duo piped his answer, "they always have to make a grand entrance."

Without further adieu, Relena appeared at the top of the stairs; holding her long skirt, exposing her feet and ankles, she walked down the steps. The silver straps on her shoes a perfect match to the silver color of her dress, the thin strips repeatedly crossing over the top of her foot. Her golden tresses glimmered in the light, her red lips curled in the most inviting smile, and the creamy white skin on her bare shoulders created an image only seen in paintings. The fitted bodice accented the well-formed curves of her body, the laced ribbon in back giving the impression of ancient times.

Heero imagined that she was what the authors of old had envisioned when they wrote their stories of gallant knights in shining armor fighting to win their lady fair. The heroine in so many books, timeless stories that his childhood had not afforded; a trained assassin didn't spend time on fairy tales and flights of fancy. She was the princess every young man sought to gain, to win her heart above all others; his princess the one he had fought for, the one he had won peace for.  


She released her hold on the skirt as she reached the bottom of the stairs; the hem hit the floor, sweeping around her feet. Heero pulled at the high collar on his shirt.

Relena ginned, she smoothed the lapel on his jacket, straightened his collar and said, "Much better."

"Relena, you look HOT," Duo pointed out, receiving several severe looks from Heero.

"You are looking very lovely," Quatre complimented her.

Heero slid his arm around her waist, feeling the cool satiny fabric with his fingers.

The braided man faced the stairs waiting for the arrival of the second woman, "Where's Mouse?"

"She came down before me."

"I didn't see her," he said with a puzzled air. "Where did she go?"

"I'm behind you," a voice whispered in his ear. She stepped back and said, "I decided not to make the 'grand entrance', as you call it."

Duo turned around to see one very amused brunette. Running his fingers through his hair he said, "You heard that?"

Mouse slipped her hand through the arm Quatre held out for her and the two couples walked to the car waiting for them in the front drive.

Under an immense white canopy, an elegantly catered meal was served to the prestigious guests. Brightly colored Chinese lanterns illuminated the area as the sun's dying rays gave into the darkness of night. Quatre peered over the rather elaborate centerpiece at the elderly man who dominated the conversation, making endless comments since the formal introductions, his wife candidly trying to stop him. The blond Arabian watched Mouse as everyone appeared to take an interest to what she said in response. 

At the end of the feast all the guests wandered around, greeting old acquaintances and mingling with each other. Never one to be found in large groups of people, Heero Yuy, preferring his solitude, quietly stepped out of the covered area. Relena felt at ease in this type of environment, long accustomed to the company of her elders. She kept an eye on her brunette friend; the young woman attracted the attention of many, a new face, an unknown story and the mystery of the girl introduced without a surname drawing the curiosity of all. The same man who dominated the table seemed to be monopolizing the crowd around Mouse, watching her with interest. He broke from the group pulling Quatre aside.

"I see you found one of the last remaining princesses." The older man beamed as he caught another glimpse of the girl. "What former country does Miss Suki come from?"

"She is not the ruler of a former country," Quatre said, a little confused at why this man was saying this. "Suki is a family friend."

He looked in the direction where Suki was talking with someone. "She certainly acts like a princess, her charm and grace are that of the highest nobility." With that he walked away.

Quatre approached Mouse; she was engaged in a conversation with a gray-haired man, a well-known ambassador, one of the few pacifists who had survived the war. He talked to the girl in a caring patriarchal tone; she smiled as he talked feeling comfortable in the gentleman's presence.

"What nation do you come from?"

Again someone asked her where she was from, the question that seemed to be on everyone's mind, to the others she simply stated 'space'.

The brunette hesitated then answered, "I'm not from earth, I was born in the L1 colony cluster."

He nodded his head approving the answer, as if he knew that was what she would say. "Young lady I think we have met before."

"I'm afraid that is impossible."

"Yes, I'm sure we have." He thought about the girl he assumed she was, a young brown-eyed, brown-haired child clinging to an older woman, a sad serious expression on her face that was unfitting for a girl that age. "You were much younger, maybe you cannot remember."

"I fear that you have mistaken me for someone else."

"Perhaps--but no matter." He took her hand and kissed it. "You have grown to be a beautiful woman."

"Would you like to take a walk around?" Quatre asked, holding a hand out for her after the elderly gentleman had departed.

Arm in arm he guided her along the dimly lit paths, the stars sparkling in the firmament, the moon missing from the night sky. They paused for a brief moment watching a pale blossom floating down the little stream, winding it's way among the small pebbles; pushed by the flow of the water, it disappeared in the shadows of the arched wood bridge they were standing on.

The path ended at an open patio, a granite floor making a half-circle around a fountain, a low balustrade with carved stone pillars along the outer circumference, well-trimmed shrubbery lining the other side. In silence the two stopped there. Quatre stood next to Mouse, facing the opposite direction, watching her from the corner of his eye. With the heel of her palms resting on the railing she looked to the sky, scanning the stars. He slid his foot though the gap between the columns, leaning his folded arms on the cold stone.

"Mouse, you must think I am a horrible escort," when she turned her head to face him he continued with a smile, "I haven't told you how…"

"Don't," Suki interrupted, pushing herself away from the railing.

By all outward appearances she was an attractive young woman, pleasing to look at, but he saw a different beauty in her, something that wasn't seen on the outside, something that wasn't obvious. Quatre didn't know when his respect for her beauty came; he only knew the truth in the words he wanted to say. He though about the day at the beach, the sun sparkling off her wet hair as she beseechingly asked him to swim, her alluring smile that always made him want to know what she was thinking. Although she looked nice in her dress he thought about how great she looked in faded jeans, wearing Duo's black baseball cap; holes worn into the knees of her pants, her thumbs tucked in the back pockets.

She sat on the rim of the fountain; a giant semi-circle base, clear blue rocks on the bottom, water flowing from the lion head inlaid in the wall, a honeysuckle covered trellis framing the boarder. The sweet fragrance of the yellow flowers filled the air. Green potted trees on either side of the fountain blocked the view of the French doors that opened toward the fountain, more trees lined the walls outside the patio area. Quatre sat next to her, waiting for an opportunity to speak. He watched her run a long slender finger through the water, hypnotized by the smooth back and forth motion. 

"The stars seem so far away, and yet they look more beautiful from Earth than space."

Quatre looked up. "Yes."

"Is anyone going to miss you?" Suki asked, meeting his eyes as she continued. "We left the party a while ago. Someone may be wondering where you are." 

"If they're wondering where anyone is they're probably curious to find out where you are."

She laughed in response, looking back to where the colorful lights could be seen.

"Do you want to go back?" 

The brunette shook her head slowly. Closing her eyes and taking a deep breath she said, "I think I'd rather stay here. We'll leave them to wonder." 

"I told them you were a friend of the family," Quatre confessed.

"Sometimes a family can extend beyond the bonds of blood relatives."

"You seem to have a connection with your family that I never had," he said, staring into space.

"I only have scraps and pieces of what used to be." Her tone was sad, "Fragments of their lives. I can only remember my mother through them."

"The last words I said to my father were in anger. I never got a chance to tell him I was sorry." He shuddered at the memory of his father's death, the thoughts of what he had done, the memories of the Zero system still painful. "I was a big disappointment to him. I wasn't the son he wanted. I turned against his pacifist views and fought for the peace of the colonies."

"I guess in some ways no one is what their parents expected," Suki added with a grin. "I wasn't the son my father wanted either, but then I never really knew him."

He knew she understood him and was taking him seriously even though her words were not. Quatre couldn't hold back a small smile.

She took her hand out of the water, flicking her fingers at him, a few drops landed on his cheeks.

"Quatre," she continued in a low voice as he wiped the water from his face, "I did not know your father, but I know you and if your kindness is a reflection of who he was, your father was a great man. A man who would still care for his son no matter what he did."

"Maybe you're right, I only wish I could tell him…" He trailed of in favor of watching her, a far off look in her eyes, an almost longing expression on her face, "Suki, even if you didn't know your father, he must have been a good man."

The brunette woman stood up and said, "I'm getting a little chilly. I think I'll go back under the tent."

She rushed off leaving Quatre behind. He stood up and walked to the edge of the patio area. "Heero, I don't think I'll ever understand her."

Heero emerged from his hiding spot in the shadows of the trees near the wall, "I must be losing my touch. You shouldn't have know I was there."

"I know you too well and we received the same training as gundam pilots," he said walking to the same path that had led them there.

The Japanese man stepped in front of him, stopping him from following the girl and saying, "You don't know who she is."

"Do you, Heero?"

"Yes," he answered. "Let her go."

Stepping around Heero, without looking at him, without responding to him the blond man walked slowly back to the large covered area. 

"I apologize," Quatre said when he found Mouse, "I said something that upset you."

"Please don't Quatre." She turned her head so their eyes couldn't meet. "It wasn't what you said."

"Then it was something I did." He searched trying to make eye contact with her. 

"Don't try to blame yourself. It's just…I don't…" the brunette found it difficult to say what she wanted, her words wouldn't come. "The way you were talking about your father, it's obvious you admired him," she paused allowing him to absorbed the words. "I can't think of… I don't remember anything good about my father."

Seeing how hard it was for her to say this, Quatre sweetly smiled and said, "You don't have to explain."

The gala event ended with a spectacular fireworks display, the bright colors casting a glow on the spectators, wives clinging to their husbands as the loud explosions echoed through the air. Heero returned to Relena's side, holding her around the waist, watching her more than the wondrous display, only looking once or twice toward the other couple who accompanied them.


	7. Chapter 7

Living Legacy   
Chapter 7   
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Leaning in the doorway, Duo watched the brunette distractedly stuff her belongings into the duffel lying on the bed. Outside the sky was clear, void of clouds, sun, moon and stars. A dim glow from the sun's early morning rays peering over the horizon provided the only light. Neither of them spoke. She moved with swift silent actions, seeming to be unaware of his presence. The woman finished, zipped the bag shut, and with one fluid motion flung the strap over her shoulder.

Knowing he only had a brief opportunity to say what he wanted Duo speedily got to the point. "I think what you doing is…" He faltered when she turned to meet his gaze, "It's not fair."

"It's a conspiracy, Duo," she grinned. "Everyone is plotting to make life unfair."

Mouse lifted the lid off a box sitting on a low table near the bed, the American placed his hand gently on hers, stopping her from moving them any farther. He pulled the strap off her shoulder and allowed the duffel to fall to the floor, landing at her feet with a thump.

"I have to leave." With a sigh she added, "I shouldn't have stayed here so long."

He thought about her words, a little over a week didn't seem long. "There was nowhere else for you to go and no one is making you leave now." 

They both knew there were other safe-houses that Lady Une had arranged for the girl. 

Duo sat down on her bed and picked up the stuffed animal that was lying next to the girl's box. The soft gray fur was worn and matted, its black bead eyes were chipped, and the velvety pink lining in its ears was stained; he held it in his open hands examining the toy mouse.

"Were you planning on saying good-bye to the others?" Duo asked, his eyes still fixed on the doll.

"No." Mouse had planned to go without having to say farewell. She had expected to leave before he would be awake, but somehow Duo knew.

"What about Quatre, are you going to tell him?"

"No, I don't want him to know," she said.

"You're going to face him?" the braided boy asked, unwilling to say the man's name. It was only a guess; an assumption based not on the girl's actions but on Wufei's, a realization that became more evident by what she had just said. 

She took the stuffed mouse from him, set it in the box, laid the lid on top, and slid the package into the small cream-colored bag that had been lying under it.

He took her silence as an affirmative answer; "You can't do that, Lady Une assigned us to protect you."

"I have already contacted Lady Une."

"It's too dangerous. You shouldn't go by yourself." Duo grabbed the duffel bag's strap, flinging it over his shoulder and taking a few steps toward the door he added, "You're not going."

"I won't be alone. Wufei is coming with me." She hoped the information would convince him to let her leave. "Give me my bag."

"No." He looked at her defiantly, keeping the duffel away from her.

"I'm going," she walked around him saying, "With or without the bag," as she stepped out the open door.

Exasperated, he called after her, "That's it—you're just leaving. It doesn't matter to you."

The brunette turned on her heels to face him when she made her response, "What is _'it'_?"

Duo didn't know how to answer, that wasn't the reaction he expected.

"This is what I have always done." Mouse closed her brown eyes. "Sometimes I feel like it's the only thing I do and every time I leave something behind, much more than you can imagine, Duo."

"Would you leave that?" He pointed to the crocheted bag she carried; the same bag she was clutching when she walked into the Preventer's temporary base. 

"Many times it was all I could bring with me, and yes, I have left it behind." She turned around and started to walk down the hall. "But I always kept it where I could come back and get it."

"You would come back for it? You've had to leave it several times." It really didn't make sense to him that she would go through the trouble of returning to a hiding place for the box, or the bag.

"As children we never stayed in one place very long. My grandmother made the bags and together with my mother we made the boxes. We filled them with things that had a special meaning to us." Mouse turned her head to look at Duo, who was walking beside her. "Most of the time it is all I have. It's everything I treasure, the only thing I was allowed to keep."

"So what happens after this?"

"You go back to your lives: Trowa to his sister, Wufei his job, Relena with Heero, and you can go home to Hilde." She thought hard, trying to remember if she got it all correct, if she used the right name for the woman Duo had talked about that she had never met.

"What about you?"

Mouse abruptly stopped when she saw Quatre standing at the bottom of the stairs. She swallowed the lump growing in her throat and slowly walked down. The Chinese Preventer was behind him, resting against the wall, arms folded, ebony eyes closed. At first she felt relieved that the blond didn't speak; she was glad he didn't ask her anything, but the look in his blue eyes was something she had never faced before. 

Trowa opened the door and announced, "Are you ready Wufei—Mouse?"

They simultaneously answered, "Yes." 

"Mouse, I think I should come too," Quatre tried to smile when he made this offer, but he knew she would refuse.

"No." She bowed her head as she walked past him; "You have already done so much."

They walked out, Quatre standing next to the brunette, lingering in their last moments together.

"Why is Maxwell still holding your bag?" Wufei asked Mouse after Trowa had climbed into the back seat of the car.

Mouse smiled. "He's holding it ransom." Turning to Duo she grinned wider, "I think he wants to keep it."

Wufei glared at him; Duo gave him the duffel and sheepishly said, "I was just carrying it down for her." 

Preventer Chang tossed the bag in the trunk and mumbled under his breath.

"Good-bye and I am thankful for everything you've done for me," the brunette stated, looking at the blond Arabian over the car door he held open for her.

"I'm coming too." Duo pulled at the handle of the front passenger side. 

The door quickly locked and once again Wufei and Mouse made a simultaneous answer, both blurting out, "No!"

"Good-bye Duo."

"I'll miss you Mouse," Quatre said as she sat in the car.

Pulling her feet in behind her, Mouse whispered, "Forget me."

He was about to protest, to say how it would be impossible to do, even though he knew she was earnest in her request, but Wufei slid into the car, sitting next to Mouse and pulling the door shut behind him. The car pulled out of the driveway and through the gates before Quatre turned to go in.

"Try not to think about me, and please forgive me," Mouse thought in silence, never looking back as the car continued to drive. "Knowing what will happen I cannot allow you to come. I am truly sorry Quatre. You were so kind."

Their ride seemed long. In the car no one talked, everyone too lost in their own thoughts to say anything. On both sides of the girl the former gundam pilots looked out the windows, the passing view only a blur in their vision. The beauty of that golden morning, the glimmer of the rising sun sparkling off the coast as they speed down the paved roads had no effect on the three young people sitting in the back. Mouse stared at the floor, mentally preparing herself for what she was about to do, trying to put aside her feelings for what she left behind.

The tinted window separating the back from the front slowly rolled down at the driver's command; the others didn't pay attention to the pair of cool Prussian blue eyes watching them in the rearview mirror. He had hope to meet the brown eyes of the girl, to see what was in them and in his own way read them and judge her actions and motive, but her head remained bowed, her face hidden in the shadows created by the hair falling down on her cheeks. 

Wufei caught a glimpse of the pair of eyes watching them; he looked to see if Mouse had noticed. His watched her for a little longer, thinking about everything that had happened.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_"You still think you're going back."_

"Eventually."

"You shouldn't be out here."

"Why?" She stood to face him. "Are you afraid someone might see me? I'm not."

"You're not thinking." Wufei glared her.

"I know what I have to do: I will return to space." Mouse took off her sunglasses. "I know where he is."

He looked at her, visibly shocked and angry at what she was suggesting.

"Can you contact Lady Une and tell her what I have decided?" Her voice was a plea.

"No." Wufei gave her a stern look. "It is not your responsibility; the Preventers will take care of him. You do not need to put your life at risk."

"Do you think you are sparing me from the damage he can do?" Her tone became harsh. "With my help they can bring an end sooner; I can get them in without a fight. Please Wufei; I will be acting only as a key."

"You are staying here." Wufei turned to leave, figuring he had put an end to the discussion.

"Wufei Chang," she yelled at his back, flinging her arms down to her side. "I will go. If you do not contact Lady Une, I will. If I have to steal a shuttle to get there, I'll do it."

"He made a threat on your life. Doesn't that worry you?" The Chinese man turned to face her.

"He is not after my life."

"What does he want?"

"Control, power, destruction, chaos. The collapse of the Preventers, the lives of everyone connected with the former OZ."

"What does he want with you?" he questioned in a surprisingly gentle voice. "You alone are not capable of helping him do that."

"The gundam pilots." She waited for his reaction and continued, "He wants your deaths; you, Quatre, Duo, Heero and Trowa. In his mind you failed the mission and he knows I am capable of finding the last remaining files on your identification."

"I will go with you." He noticed Mouse was about to open her mouth. "Don't argue and don't tell anyone else."

"I wish you wouldn't; there are others who could offer their protection. You understand that if you or any of the others come, and this fails, he will have what he wants. As gundam pilots you and the others have already sacrificed so much."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In that conversation she had revealed many things but had still managed to disclose nothing; Mouse still hadn't told anyone how she knew they were gundam pilots. Since the first day she had let them believe it was only an assumption when she had said that Heero was a pilot. Then she confirmed that she had known, but did she know the entire time?

The car rolled to a stop at the shuttle bay where their transport to the L1 colonies lay waiting, the sun reflecting off the metallic finishing. No people could be seen; the driver rolled up the tinted window, hiding from their view once again.

Wufei opened the door and said, "I'll check the surrounding perimeter."

"What happens after this?" Trowa asked Mouse after the door was shut.

"I disappear."

"You don't need to vanish." He turned his emerald eyes to face her. "After this there will be no reason for you to hide."

"When this is finished there will be no reason for me to stay."

Trowa could find no voice to answer her and they sat in silence until the driver opened the door; his face hidden in the shadows of the brim on his hat, dark brown tuffs of hair sticking out the sides and back. Wufei gave them the okay to get out and Trowa went to get the girl's bag from the trunk.

As the driver took her hand to help Mouse out of the car he flatly asked, "Do you know what you are doing?"

"What I do is of no concern to you, Heero." She pulled her hand from his with a quick jerk. "I am doing the only thing I know, but do your friends know what they are doing?"

"I do not know if they do; but I know and that will have to be enough."

"I don't want you to come," she glanced at Trowa, "I am already putting too many people in danger."

"It is my decision—not yours."

They boarded the shuttle after one last check of the grounds; neither of the boys questioned Japanese man's presence. The door slid shut with a whooshing sound as soon as everyone had stepped aboard; they tried to manually open it, but failed. Heero pulled out his gun and slowly advanced toward the front, making his way to the cockpit. The speakers buzzed for a few seconds preceding an announcement.

"This is your pilot Duo Maxwell speaking." They heard a little laugh. "Sit down, buckle up, and enjoy your flight."

Mouse mumbled, "Do any of you ever listen?"

Heero tucked his gun away and sat down, "You should try listening, Mouse. He said 'sit down'."

She sighed and did as she was told.

Wufei stormed the cockpit and found Duo already preparing for launch. He scowled at the braided man, thinking about what he told Mouse the night of the State Dinner.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_The brunette walked into the dimly lit room where he was observing the others in the hall._

"Wufei are you in here?" Her voice was hushed and she squinted as her eyes adjusted to the low light.

"Hn."

She approached him; he watched her dignified gate, the dress ending a few inches above her knees, exposing most of her long slender legs.

"Has anything new happened?"

"Lady Une has the blue prints to the building. They are going over the security system, trying to find the best way to enter." 

Mouse looked at Wufei. "There's something else isn't there?"

"She asked that Trowa help on the mission as well. We leave at sunup tomorrow."

"You already asked him?" She watched as he nodded his head. "He understands the risk and that I'm not coming back?"

"Trowa has never been afraid of the danger."

"I wish I didn't have to drag him or you into this."

He was slightly surprised ant her concern for him. They never really got along, their arguments becoming more heated than the ones he frequently had with Duo.

"We do this of our own free choice." He offered the only words of comfort he could think of. "No one else will know. They will stay here."

They heard Duo's voice and she smiled at what the braided man had said.

"I shouldn't be going tonight; it's not fair to him." She turned her back to the hall. "It's cruel to go with him tonight, to watch him smile, to dress up and parade around, knowing that tomorrow I have to vanish." 

"Why are you telling me this?"

She had turned around and he noticed her eyes were on the blond man.

"I don't know." She watched as Heero slipped his arm around Relena.

"They're waiting for you." He stared into her eyes and added in a whisper as she left the room, "Go enjoy your night, don't think of tomorrow. Only now exists—now and nothing else."  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

"Hey, Wufei," Duo beamed. "Takeoffs can be pretty rough on you when you're not fastened in."

"You are a crazy fool."  


"Sorry no time for compliments—sit." 

Wufei returned to the back and sat with the others. He avoided eye contact with Mouse; she seemed a little perturbed that everyone was joining her in the journey back to space. It made things more difficult than she would have liked. 

After leaving the atmosphere, Trowa and Wufei started a game of chess.

The Japanese boy watched the girl, occasionally asking a question to which she never responded. With the knowledge of what she had given him, the computer files mostly on the man Fujihara, Heero had found more documents about her. He had every fact committed to memory: where she spent her childhood, the dates of birth and death for many of her family members, every school she had attended. Heero recalled Mouse's math scores were considerably higher than grammar; a smirk curled his lips, he knew more about her than he cared to remember about himself. All that information was found easily enough with the additional information of her name, most of it impersonal data and medical records, but something was missing, several years of her life were blocked out, lost to any form of recovery. It began in the year when she would have been eight, A.C. 188, and from then on only very little could be traced, one or two pieces from her teens; not even a school record could be found, it was like she had disappeared. What puzzled him even more was what Mouse had given him in replacement for the year when it started, a military report and another list of statistics seemingly unrelated to anything else.

"What happened in those years?"

"What happened in your childhood, Heero Yuy?"

He looked away, the question bringing up memories he didn't want to address.

She forced herself to stare straight into his eyes. "See, Heero, just as you do not openly share your past, I too have memories I keep to myself." Mouse turned from him. "You will find out soon enough."

No more questions were asked, no further discussions made. Mouse fell asleep or at least pretended to sleep, Heero pulled out the lieutenant rank badge she had given him; he glanced at the girl.

"Relena," he whispered as his mind drifted to the night before.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
_He watched Quatre standing next to Mouse, the blond man frequently looking at the brunette who ignored his attention. They both smiled as the colors of the fireworks reflected off their faces. _

Relena held his chin between her thumb and index finger; she slowly turned his face to hers and said, "I'm going to miss you."

"Nani?" 

She smiled. "You look good in a tux." Relena brushed his hair away from his face and wrapped her arms around his neck.

"What are you talking about?"

"I pay you a compliment and you can't say thank you."

"Relena." He tried to figure where she was going with this.

"I'll never forget her, but I understand why she has to leave." She glanced at the other couple and said, "They look nice together."

Heero gave her a questioning look; was it him or was she not making any sense?

She laughed. "I'm glad Suki and I became friends."


	8. Chapter 8

As we all join to read this chapter I would like to say a few words, I DON'T OWN GUNDAM WING. Thank you for listening, I think that is all I have to say for now, so I guess you would like to move on to the fic, well here it is:

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~  
Living Legacy   
Chapter 8  
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

    Name: Cailan Voss  
    Rank: Lieutenant   
    Birth: A.C. 169 October 31  
    Gender: Male  
    Height: 177 cm  
    Eye color: Blue  
    Hair color: Black 

Lt. Voss of the Specials forces was stationed at the M———— training facility in the year after colony 188. During his term there he received orders to deploy ground Leos to an undisclosed location. April 3rd, three days before the commencement of said mission, the Lieutenant was abducted traveling from an off-base establishment to the mobile suit hanger. At exactly 0300 hours on April 6th an alarm was triggered in the main barracks; the soldiers complied with procedures and evacuated the building. Within a minute an explosion destroyed the hanger housing the MS, damaging all twenty suits beyond repair. Four minutes following the initial blast a bomb in the arsenal was detonated, taking out the entire supply of weaponry and a majority of the barracks. No human casualties were reported. Upon investigation of the remaining buildings five more bombs were found. It was discovered they were set to go off in concurrence with the bomb placed in the arsenal; crossed wiring prevented them from detonating. 

Walking, Lt. Voss returned to base approximately 0730 on the morning of April 6th. At the hands of his captors he received several injuries: a broken tibia, set and braced before his arrival, multiple lacerations on the upper back, the larger cuts previously sealed with a pharmaceutical adhesive, and a minor skull fracture; full medical report attached. When questioned about his abductors he could only give a slight description. Lt. Voss could only give one name, F———, the man he assumed to be the leader, having only heard the name he could not give an account of physical appearance. As to how he gained his freedom Lt. Voss only offered that he had escaped; when asked who had helped he only replied 'a mysterious creature.'

Heero went over the report in his mind once more, nearly word for word, wondering what it meant pertaining to the girl. He was sitting between Mouse and Trowa, absorbed more in his own thoughts than the debriefing that Lady Une was about to begin. 

"Why had they used an exact amount of explosives? Nothing excessive, just enough to totally demolish all the buildings and kill every officer on base. If he knew the proper amount of power to destroy the suits and he knew when he needed to act before the mission, why had five of the bombs been wired incorrectly…? If all the bombs had been planted he would have cleared the area. What could have triggered the alarm…? The time between the alarm and second explosion was just enough time for the people nearest to get away; someone had sounded that alarm intentionally," Heero thought, and then looking at Mouse he continued his silent query. "You know more than what's written there. Was this base on Earth or in space?" He turned from her, still asking his mind more questions. "Mouse must have been involved, but how? She would have been too young… This man Voss, why had he said 'mysterious creature'? Wouldn't most men say 'an angel'?"

Noin paced the back wall near the door; she seemed distraught, her hair was a little messy and a deep look of concern filled her violet eyes. When the group had arrived at the L1 colony she had escorted them to the new temporary base, hardly saying a word, managing to avoid any contact with most of them.

Lady Une glanced at her friend and then stated, "I understand that you all wish to accompany Mouse, but in my view I think it would be wiser if only Trowa and Wufei go."

"We all go," Heero muttered.

"Suki are you sure this is possible?" Une faced the girl and asked, "You know more about him than any of us. Will he be there and can you get in?"

"He will be there." The brunette turned so none of the boys could see her face.

"We will proceed as planned then." The head of the Preventers unrolled the blueprint for the building; she traced her finger along the paths of easiest entry. "The five of you can get in through any of these ways. There are video cameras here and here, and a motion detector here," Lady Une said, pointing to the key corners where the devices were located. 

"It doesn't seem difficult," Trowa stated in an indifferent voice.

"The problem lies here." Une pointed to a door. "Suki, you are sure you have the code to open it?"

"If she has a code to open it," Duo blurted out, "why doesn't Mouse just give it to us?"

"Because." Mouse began her answer even though the braided man hadn't asked her, "It's something only I can do, something only I would know." Now addressing all of the former pilots, she continued with, "There will be a camera placed at the door. It will probably be set to take a picture every time the door is opened or at selected intervals. My presence will not be questioned by anyone."

"Your best chances are if no one is noticed coming in, even if they won't question your presence." Lady Une continued to look at all of the information, never finding anything about that camera. "We can jam the camera's frequency preventing it from functioning, but only for approximately thirty seconds before the interruption will be detected."

Duo was going to ask another question but decided against it when he noticed that Wufei was glaring at him.

"After you get past the door there are no more mechanical securities. Your first priority is to capture Fujihara. Mouse and Heero will need to break away from the group to disable the security system, after that the remaining Preventers will come." The Lady added, "We are unsure of how many people are working with him or what their level of training is. Contact over the comms will be maintained at all times. Is everything understood?"

No one stated a contrary answer so they were permitted to leave, to wander around, to rest or use the time until the mission began however they wanted. Duo brought the girl some food along with his own. The braided boy poked at Mouse's ribs begging her to smile and urging her to eat, which she did rather reluctantly. They all ate a small meal and lounged in the padded chairs trying to relax. 

As the others lounged in the foyer, Heero folded his arms and waited for the remaining Preventers to convene in the large conference room. Everyone had entered the room and the Japanese man looked around. Lady Une opened with her explanation of why this was important, a reiteration of safty procedures, and then she listed the details they needed to know. 

The meeting adjourned and about twenty men filed past Mouse. She scanned their faces and whispered, "Something's not right."

"What do you mean?" Trowa asked, walking down to the street.

"I didn't see…" the brunette stopped realizing she didn't know his name, "The other Preventer who was here before."

"Don't worry about it." He pulled her up into the truck, a little concerned himself about the absence of the tall blond.

"Why doesn't she seem afraid?" the Japanese man asked Wufei, after glancing at the girl again.

"She's not afraid," he answered and waited to continue as the truck drove over a bumpy patch of road. "She is terrified."

Heero fell silent, puzzled by his companion's answer. How was it everyone could read her but him? Duo had known she was leaving, Quatre too, but they knew without her telling them and they could frequently guess what she was thinking. Even Wufei was now telling him something about her that he had not noticed for himself. He thought about Trowa, but the circus clown had always seemed to have a sensitivity to women's emotions.

The truck pulled into an alley, all the passengers jerked slightly as the brake gripped on the wheel. Wufei jumped from the back of the truck, taking the comm. units and handing one to Heero as he jumped out. Straightening her legs after her landing, Mouse looked at the two and without saying a word walked around them. In the side view mirror Lady Une watched the backs of the five young people, one of them doing perhaps the most difficult thing she would ever have to do in her life; Une knew Mouse was not going to disable the security as assigned.

After slipping into the building through a second story window they cautiously made their way down the gray marbled floors of the long empty halls. The florescent lamps cast their imitation light; the footsteps of the five people slightly echoed of the bare walls as they made their way into the stairwell.

Once within the enclosure of the four walls, the small area containing the stairs, Duo asked Mouse a question, the one he had wanted to ask back at headquarters. "So you don't know what the code will be?"

The other pilots glared at him.

Mouse stepped next to him and in a low voice answered, "It's not exactly a code."

"How do you know in will be programmed to accept you?"

"I was promised I would always have access."

Heero Yuy glanced at her, somewhat curious about this almost naive statement. If this man had gone through the trouble to hook up this system, why would he allow access to someone who wanted to stop him?

She saw the look in his Prussian blue eyes and said, "I'll explain later, but I was told I could always get in."

"Things change," Duo stated. "He may not have kept his word."

"He may be many things," the brunette glanced at him as they inched along the wall under the second camera, "and he may say many things—but he doesn't lie."

"But Squeaker…" The braided boy saw the look Mouse was giving him and stopped, he placed his hands in the air and said, "Okay, I won't call you that."

They made their way past the motion detector without setting it off and Duo continued with his questions, "What happens to you if this fails?"

"Please don't ask."

He grabbed her wrist, stopping her from heading to the front of the group. "I already did." Duo gazed into her brown eyes; seeing the sorrowful look he said with a weak smile, "I thought you said he wouldn't kill you."

"Sometimes death isn't the worst thing that can happen." She pulled his hand from her wrist, holding it for a moment saying, "We cannot fail; what will be lost is too precious," before letting it go.

"Lady Une, we have made it," Wufei announced their arrival to the head of the Preventers.

"We are on standby with the equipment," the reply came back instantly.

Unsure of where the camera was aimed the boys stood off to the side, hugging the slate-colored textured wall. Mouse looked at the door; she scanned the sides for the panel that would give her entrance. She took a deep breath, holding it in for a few seconds before releasing the air. Slowly she raised her hand to place it on the palm pad, in hesitance she pulled it back a little making a slight fist and rubbing her index finger with her thumb. 

Heero, the person closets to her was the only one to notice this action, he recalled she had done the same thing on several other occasions. He slid his tan hand into the one hanging at her side, giving it a little squeeze and making her close her long slender fingers around the rank badge that she had given him days before. With this sign of encouragement Mouse once again lifted her hand to the pad, she slightly touched it with the tips of her fingers. The brunette closed her eyes and, extending her fingers, pressed her palm flat on the device. A green bar of light scanned up then down, making a small noise and taking in her prints. The computer generated voice asked for her name.

She paused as Wufei made ready to contact Lady Une as soon as the door would open. 

Clearly she pronounced her full name, "Suki..."

Preventer Chang yelled, "Now!" into the communication unit. 

The door slid open and they walked into the next hallway, cautiously checking for signs of other people. Instinctively Mouse led the way; no one questioned how she knew or why she and Heero hadn't separated from the group to disable the security system. She stopped and signaled without speaking, the boys held their guns ready as they flung open the door. 

Behind a large wooden desk the dark man with a scared face looked up, an evil smirk curling his lips. He put down the tool in his hand and said in a cold demeaning tone, "So, you couldn't keep away. My little marionette has returned. I knew you would, you cannot break from what I have taught you. You will never forget your training, my petite doll, and you will always return. I know everything about you." He pushed on the desk and his chair rolled back, "I was not expecting the extra company though. Even after all this time you can still surprise me."

Mouse glared at him as he walked around the desk. She said nothing and impulsively stood in front of Heero, blocking him from the older man's view.

The man, only a few inches taller than the brunette, stepped closer to her, he glanced over her shoulder and addressing the boy said, "The pilot of zero-one, what story did she tell you to make you come here?" Without waiting for an answer he continued, "Suki can be deceiving, maybe even conniving at times. She is beautiful, ne? Is it a physical attraction that brings you here?"

Wufei took a position near Fujihara, aiming his gun at him; Heero stood on other side, saying nothing to the questions he was asked and glaring intensely at the maniacal man.

"You say nothing, you do not defend these boys." Fujihara turned to the girl, "I underestimated you, I didn't know you had it in you to bring the Preventers in." He grinned widely as she tried to look away, "You do not look at me; will you continue to refuse to speak? I know that's why you came here. Will you not even say hello?"

"Hello, Father." 

"Is that it?" He continued, "It is in you, this hate grows within you, I can hear it in your voice. You hate me—good, I will still have some control over you. Don't deny it, my influence over you will never change. You may remove me from your life but I will still have some power, and you will destroy what you claim to protect. You will fulfill your destiny." 

Duo tried to charge at the dark figure but Trowa placed a hand on his shoulders stopping him; he glared with determined cobalt eyes at the taller pilot, who made no response.

"I will not give you that satisfaction," her tone was cold and harsh.

"Do you still fancy yourself the victor, triumphant over your own destiny? You cannot change the future I have planned for you."

Mouse said nothing as she stared at a fixed point over the man's shoulder. The braided pilot shuddered; it reminded him of her conversation with Lady Une. Even Trowa Barton, the seemingly emotionless pilot, secretly wished she would put it to an end. She had reverted to the cold hollow defiant person they had met only over a week ago; they knew it wasn't the real her, or at least they hoped it wasn't the real Mouse.

Fujihara stepped closer to her yet again; Wufei and Heero went to hold him back but she signaled for them to stop.

The dark man questioned her further, "Do you not argue with me because you know you will loose? Is your silence a sign that you know I am right? Those people took everything away from you, and you will fight them like I have ordered you to."

"No."

"No," he snarled at her. "No, is all you will say. They do not care for you," he gestured toward the pilots. "The Preventers only want what I took from them."

"I do not desire their affection nor do I care what you say."

"They didn't tell you, the agency doesn't trust you and yet you will still betray me to them? I have their Preventer code named Wind. The blond man formerly known as Zechs Merquise." Fujihara was trying to get a reaction out of the pilots but his eyes were constantly focused on Suki's face. "I know you did not come for him, so I suppose you came because of your precious Lieutenant." He saw the questioning look in her brown eyes, "Little Suki still cares for the man she let escape, that entire mission failed because of you. You failed your first mission."

The brunette refused to respond; she noticed Trowa had walked around the desk and was looking at the computer, noiselessly hacking into the files.

"I thought I trained you better than to feel that useless emotion," the dark man growled. "Love, what do you know of love? He is nothing, he means nothing."

"He means more than you ever will," her voice only contained half the fierceness of his, but it was still powerful. 

At that sign of open defiance her father wrapped his large callused hand around her neck, lifting her slightly. Her toes barely touched the floor and she gasped for air, but she continued to stare straight into his face, never loosing the bold look in her eyes. 

"Where is he?" Only half of her words could be understood.

Wufei mouthed the word 'fight'; he begged for her to retaliate, knowing that she could free herself from the hold.

"You are too late; you cannot save him this time," Fujihara laughed. "He will die along with the Preventer."

He felt the cold barrel of a gun pressed against his temple as the demanding voice of Heero said, "Let the girl go."

Fujihara released his grip, bringing his other hand around to slap her hard across the face before the pilots could react. She toppled with the force of his blow, her head landing against Duo's chest as he stopped her from falling to the floor. He wrapped his arms around her, not to steady her but to prevent her from facing the old man. The side of her face grew red, the fingerprints plainly visible, Mouse pulled herself from the boy, ignoring the pain, never even venturing to touch the cheek that was now throbbing. 

"No Mouse, don't," the self-proclaimed god of death whispered as the girl turned toward her abuser. 

"Where is he?" she hissed at the man now being held by the two pilots.

"The prison block is one floor down," Trowa calmly stated. "There is a bomb set to detonate…"

Trowa never finished his statement, as soon as he said bomb Mouse grabbed the tool from the desk and bolted out of the room.

After the brunette left Wufei punched Fujihara, his fist making contact with the older man's stomach, causing the man to double over in pain. 

Duo smiled, wishing he had been the one to do it; then he turned to his companions saying, "I'll follow her."

"No," Heero ordered.

He couldn't understand but for once Duo didn't object to the Japanese man's command. They stayed with the silent Fujihara while Wufei and Trowa separated to disable the system and alert Lady Une to the changes.

Mouse sprinted down the hall, her long legs making large strides. Her heart beat uncontrollably against her ribs, almost as though it wished to break free form its cage. She managed to get to the stairs only confronting one other person, whom she easily overpowered. The brunette ran down the steps three at a time. Faltering in her last leap she fell to the floor, sliding a short way and careening into the wall. Undaunted by the mishap, she continued. Peering through the small windows in the cells she searched for the one that housed the two men.

"Mouse, over here," she heard a feeble male voice answer her call.

She quickly made her way to the cell were the voice had called, peeking through the opening she saw a tall man slowly making his way to the door. His limp was seriously noticeable and when he stopped he balanced all his weight on his left leg.

"I'm sorry I was so late." Mouse glance at the man lying in the bed. "Is he all right?" She was startled when she saw the hand that reached out to touch her face. "What did he do to you?"

He feigned a smile, though every muscle in his body aced. "It's not so bad. Worry about the bomb first."

She looked around for a sign of the explosive device. Spotting it above the doorway attached to a support beam she instantly decided to use the small window; if the bomb was allowed to explode the entire building would collapse, it wouldn't kill the prisoners instantly but there would be no way they could survive the injuries. Precariously balanced near the wall, with her feet in the hole and the tool she had taken clenched between her teeth, she cautiously lifted the cover. Using all the force he had left, the blue-eyed man held to the back of her calves helping her maintain her position. Mouse followed the interweaving wires, studying their paths and making sure she knew each one's purpose, she looked at the time counting down, 18…17…16. 

"It's the same type he used…" she mumbled to herself not bothering to finish her sentence. With the tool she pulled at the one wire that would stop it, the thin strand of metal gave, snapping and curling back it sliced deep into the flesh below her thumb.

Mouse jumped down, bending her knees to absorb the shock and touching the floor with the palm of her hand to prevent herself from falling forward. She managed to open the cell door. Her accomplice wrapped his arm around her shoulder and leaning on her for support she helped him sit on the dingy bed. 

The blond man in the cell slowly stood, his legs a little wobbly under the weight of his body. Preventer Fire ran down the stairs to the prison block, her heart leaping into her throat as she saw Zechs leaning in the doorway of his former cell; one arm hung limp at his side, the other was wrapped around his middle, holding his ribs. She joyously embraced the wounded man, a slight moan escaped and he took a deep breath causing a piercing pain in his side. More of the Preventers wandered into the hall and along with a young man, Noin helped Zechs out of the building and to a waiting medical truck.

Heero, Duo, and Trowa passed the violet-eyed woman, her shoulder tucked under the arm of Wind, as they walked down the hallway. When they reached the cell they saw Mouse kneeling on floor at the feet of a badly beaten man, her head was bowed and in a hushed tone she was speaking unintelligible expressions of regret. The black-haired man held his hand on the nape of her neck, stroking the soft skin with his thumb. His fingers were misshapen, the dry russet-colored blood cracking, forming intricate patterns over his flesh. He looked up, his pristine azure eyes filling with tears but none of them brave enough to fall, meeting Heero's own blue eyes he stood.

"Go now, I'm fine," she directed her order at the older man.

Wordlessly, Duo Maxwell supported the man and helped him out, leaving the other two with the girl. 

Mouse saw Trowa's shoes appear, they stopped near her knees, before he could move to help her up she said, "Leave me. I want to be alone."

He tenderly touched her back then turned to go. As Trowa approach the door he paused and placed his hand on Heero's shoulder, with his emerald eyes he mutely asked the Japanese man to leave as well.

Understanding the taller boy's request and having no intention of complying, Heero answered with his usual, "Hn." 

Assuming that Trowa had left, never moving from her kneeling position, Mouse began to talk. "You were right, Heero. He was right. I hate him; I do this because I hate him. For a brief moment, just the smallest inkling of time I convinced myself I didn't want revenge; that I didn't care what happened to my father, but I was wrong. I was such a fool to believe in my own lies, to think that I could change who he made me to be. To think that I could stop him from hurting any more people."

"You have stopped him and what is it that he has made you become?" 

Suki flinched at Trowa's words, his unexpected kindness. In a tone even lower than before she answered, "A person so consumed by hate that her judgment is clouded. A person so blinded by that hate she cannot see until it is too late. I was too late, I could not stop him from hurting people and even though he is gone it will not stop. He lives in me, every word he has said is engraved in my mind, in my head somewhere, and through me it will happen again."

Heero knelt down on one knee before the girl, he leaned to one side then the other trying to look into her eyes, but when he moved so did she. The Japanese man place one hand on each of her cheeks turning her to face him. The brunette winced, although his touch was more than gentle, he let go and she let her head fall once more. This time he lifted her head by tenderly placing his finger below her chin, before she could move away he said, "I was wrong. If you hated him you would not have asked for our help, if you truly hated your father you would have fought back in there."

She smiled and sniffed, "I didn't ask for your help."

He whispered so that Trowa could not hear, "You are not the person he trained, that influence has become weak."

Mouse believed him; Heero never said what he didn't mean, and having a slight knowledge of the training he received she knew that the influence may last forever, but over time it diminished. The Japanese man helped her to her feet and she allowed him to escort her outside. As they passed Trowa he permitted a smile to adorn his usually masked face. 

As they stepped out of the building Duo nudged Wufei, earning him a severe glare. "Look who made friends when I wasn't watching," he enthusiastically blurted out. "Man, I miss all the good stuff." The American grimaced as he heard the sound of the medics popping Zechs' dislocated shoulder back into place, "That's worse than Heero."

"Hey Squeker," the tall man greeted his rescuer, sitting on the bed of the med. truck ignoring the medic's pleas to hold still.

The brunette shook her head.

"That's not fair she never let's _me_ call her that," the braided boy said with a mock pout.

"Don't worry kid; she doesn't let me call her that either."

Seeing that everyone was accounted for, Lady Une ordered everyone to board the trucks and head back to the temporary HQ. The medic finished resetting the bones in the man's fingers before climbing in herself. 

While climbing in Mouse glanced around, she caught a brief glimpse of Fujihara; he was crouched over, still holding his stomach. Halfway in the vehicle she turned her head to Duo and asked, "What did you do to him?"

"Not me." He held up his hands. "Wufei."

The brunette looked at the Chinese man before pulling herself all the way in. 

Seated between Mouse and the female medic the blue-eyed man started to ask questions as the truck began to roll down the streets. "What happened before you came down?" 

"Just one of those father-daughter talks."

He looked at Mouse studying her appearance: the red welt on her face, the trail of crimson blood that started to flowed from the cut below her thumb when she moved and reopened the wound. With a smile and a recollection of another time he said, "You look better than the last time he had one of those 'talks.'"

Heero, too, studied the girl sitting across from him; he noticed the cut and without saying anything, took her hand.

"What are you doing?"

"It needs to be bandaged," he said never lifting his Prussian blue eyes from the wound. He wiped away the fresh red fluid and cleaned the dried blood from the cut. More of the liquid began to spill but he quickly covered it with gauze and, taping the pad to her hand, he sat back, saying nothing more. 

"Don't listen to anything Fujihara told you."

"Yes sir, Lieutenant Voss sir," Mouse answered in a mocking tone.

"So now that this chapter of your life is over you don't have to go by 'Mouse' anymore." Suki looked at Cailan with raised eyebrows but before she could say something he added, "How about Aunt Squeaker?"

Duo laughed at the expression on her face.

Thinking about Cailan's wife, Suki's dearest friend and teacher who dreamt of nothing more than having a child, Mouse said, "You mean Leilani is…"

Excited, Cailan cut her off, "Yes! I'm finally going to be a father."

Mouse asked in a flat tone, "Why didn't you tell me before I left for Earth?"  


"Because you stuck your tongue out at me," Cailan said, almost laughing, trying to get Suki to laugh as well or even smile, but her confidence was still shaken and she made no response.

Trowa looked at the man, now aware that he was the one Suki had called; she obviously had great feelings for this man with the thick wavy jet-black hair, a smooth baby-like complexion, and azure colored blue eyes. As the truck rolled to a stop his emerald green eyes were still focused on the man and the girl, deep in thought he watched them get out. Cailan held Suki in his arms as the others exited; a crowd of people were forming in the street, they watched Zechs limp between two men to the infirmary, Noin following close behind. Lady Une came up to them and observed the group for a moment.

"They are looking at you," Cailan whispered.

"They are waiting for an explanation," she answered.

He addressed the boys, peering over her head which was level with his nose, "You better find a nice spot to sit then. This could take a while."

Mouse pulled away from him as Lady Une instructed him to go to the infirmary; she excused herself and led the way. 

With only the four pilots left, and now safe in the walls of the temporary Preventer base, Mouse turned to the boys and asked, "Where should I start?"

"Why does a man like that have a daughter?" Wufei began the interrogation.

"I do not know why he had a daughter, I have been told he was different before me but I cannot remember. He left when I was three. My mother never talked of him and she died in childbirth seven months later, her first son died hours after." Knowing this didn't answer the question Mouse continued with, "I was born to save the life of his first born. A genetic match was needed for my sister Midori."

"How did you know Heero was a gundam pilot just by his name?" Duo asked, hoping this would lead to how Fujihara knew.

"They asked my grandmother permission to use Heero Yuy as the code name of the pilot.

There were two request though," Suki said. "First, the pilot needed to understand that he was not to complete the mission set by the Barton Foundation and second, he must have a heart devoted to space. Then she explained that she was only doing it as a favor for their help."

"What did this organization do to help her?" Trowa asked.

An unexpected answer came from Heero, "They helped the Yuy family hid something."

"I don't understand. What did the Yuy family have to hid?" a newcomer asked, only hearing Heero's last statement.

Mouse turned slowly toward the person the question had come from; she lifted her head to face Quatre and said, "Me."

Nearly everyone was floored by the response, but no one showed signs of the shock. They all questioned why the group would hide Suki; the only person she needed to hide form was Fujihara and why would such a powerful group feel it necessary to help her?

"Suki was the intended pilot for Wing Gundam," the Japanese man answered the question on everyone's mind. Upon seeing Fujihara in person Heero had finally pieced together the information Mouse had given him, the data was that of a mobile suit simulation; her first scores a little below the average Oz soldier; fairly good for an eight-year old. He recalled his first tests, taken the same year, scores slightly higher than average.

"Is that what he meant when he referred to your training?" Wufei inquired.

Bewildered, Quatre asked, "Who?"

"Fujihara, my father."

The blonde was beginning to think he should have stayed home but he remembered walking by the room she had stayed in, looking at the emptiness, the rainbows dancing on the walls but no one there to enjoy them.

Heero explained further, "As the youngest, and now the last living blood relative of the Yuy family, the Barton foundation appointed her the hopeful pilot, but she never completed her training." 

"You can't train what you can't find," supplied Mouse.

"That picture?"

The brunette looked at Quatre and said, "Yes that was my uncle, Heero Yuy."

"Suki, is that why Fujihara said you failed your mission, because you never became a gundam pilot?" the boy with the chestnut braid asked. 

With a sorrow filled tone Suki answered, "I have never succeeded in any of my missions."

"What will you do now?" Trowa asked, sure that now she could not disappear like she had planned.

"There is always an opening in the Preventers agency," Lady Une answered, just entering the room and hearing the comment. "We can always use someone with expert computer skills."

With the discussion now over everyone, except Heero and Mouse, excited the room; Duo busily asking what made Quatre come, Wufei telling him to leave the blond alone and Trowa quietly following, with one last glance at Suki.

"You were the one who wired the bombs incorrectly and triggered the alarm?"

"Why, Heero?"

"The 'mysterious creature'?" he asked.

"Yes."

"If you did those things on purpose then why do you sound regretful when you say every mission was a failure?"

"His mission wasn't my priority." Tears formed behind her brown eyes, the moisture never daring to fall. "I had an earlier mission, for my sister."

"You had no control over her death."

"No, it's not that. She told me to never let him have power." She bite her lip before continuing, "Midori would always say, 'if it doesn't feel right, it isn't.'"

In an awkward moment of revelation, Heero offered, "The only words of advice I ever received were, 'act on your emotions.'"

"After he returned she changed, her smile became weak, she begged me to do what I could to never become like him, to never hurt people like he planed to." Mouse's voice was hushed. "At night she would cry, I pretended to be asleep but I could always hear her. When I asked she couldn't explain."

"Mouse, you did not fail that mission."

"I failed the mission set by my grandmother, too." She turned away from him. "She begged me to become a person with a good heart, full of honest intentions, strong, beautiful in mind, happy. Many times she said in this world that was all she desired." 

Mouse recalled the frail hand of her grandmother touching her cheeks, the kind look in her eyes, the fragrant perfume she wore to diplomatic affairs, the powerful woman who died just months before the gundam's decent. The brunette remembered her exact words on that day, words that her grandmother had said many times before, "_Suki, for me please become a strong woman, gentle and wise, filled with honest intentions, seeking only what is attainable. Never quest for what is not necessary, restrain your anger, your hate, be quick to forgive others and put aside your own pride. My child, be beautiful in mind, carry yourself with dignity, let your heart rule, cherish the time you have with friends. You do not need to be elegant or exalted, crowned with glory and showered with riches. I only ask that you grow to be a woman who will always be a queen in one man's eyes; true to yourself, simple, loved, and happy._"

Heero turned his Prussian blue eyes to face her and quietly said, "Mission accomplished."

Standing in the doorway, unseen by either of the people in the room, Quatre whispered with a smile, "Yes, I have to agree—Mission accomplished."

Fin

*Thanks for reading this, I hope you enjoyed and haven't become too confused. If you have any questions I'd be glad to answer them.


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